Op-Ed by Holly Herman
Unfortunately political ideology and real-life at the Virginia General Assembly are vastly different. Many people say Richmond isn’t accomplishing what it needs to benefit Virginia. In some cases that’s true, but more than not our Commonwealth earns high ranks. A little background may help to explain the seemingly slow pace and why we need to return Sen. Emmett Hanger to Richmond to fight for us all.
You can bring your best game (idea) to Richmond, and unless you have the skill set to back it up, you will never get off the bench. What are those real-life skills? Unfortunately, it may surprise many people. You are one vote out of 140 legislators each representing their own constituency and interests. First, a legislator must have solid relationships based on trust. Second, you must be active and in the game with key committee assignments that make the decisions, obtained only by rank and years of service. And finally, a pure desire to do the work of a public servant.
Hanger has the trust and admiration of his colleagues on both sides of the aisle and local officials. He works appropriately with the administration and doesn’t rely on partisan politics. Any team player knows this is the way to get initiatives off the bench and into play. Hanger sits on the Finance Committee, where all money matters hinge and holds countless other leadership roles. With re-election, he will earn higher rank and even better leadership opportunities to directly benefit our area. Equally important, Hanger is a humble and honest person who seeks every opportunity to serve his community through his government, church, and civic organizations.
I work at the Assembly, and can say it is sometimes frustrating how the process works, and we do constantly try to improve upon it. But the best way to do that is to return a man who is a true statesman and always has his eye on the ball. We have a MVP on our roster, and with stakes this high, I want Hanger on the court.
Join me in voting for Senator Emmett Hanger Nov. 6.
Holly Herman is the legislative aide to Sen. Emmett Hanger. She resides in Augusta County.
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