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Tom Perriello

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Template:Future election candidate

Tom Perriello
Democratic nominee for
U.S. Representative for Virginia, 5th District
Election date
November 4, 2008
OpponentVirgil Goode (R)
IncumbentVirgil Goode
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
ResidenceAlbemarle County, Virginia
Alma materYale University
ProfessionAttorney
Websitewww.perrielloforcongress.com

Thomas Stuart Price 'Tom' Perriello is an American public entrepreneur and the Democratic candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives from the fifth district of Virginia for the upcoming term of Congress

According to CNN, Perriello has won the 5th district by 119 votes (out of more than 318,000 votes), with 100% of precincts reporting. However, according to the Virginia State Board of Elections, Perriello is down by 145 votes (out of 314,866 total votes), with 100% of precincts reporting. The official tally is pending and a recount is almost certain.

Perriello, a resident of Albemarle County, is currently a guest lecturer at the University of Virginia School of Law where he teaches a course on transitional justice. He has spent much of his career working in West Africa and the Middle East to create strategies for sustainable peace, and he was involved in the peace processes that helped end the civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia.[1] As a public entrepreneur, he has helped to launch organizations and movements focused on social justice and human rights. He is a founding partner of Res Publica (now Avaaz.org), which develops innovative solutions to global justice and security threats, and of Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, which has worked since the 2004 election to help balance and expand the faith and values discourse in America. The 2008 congressional race is Perriello's first run for elected office.

Biography

Born and raised in Albemarle County, Perriello attended Murray, Meriwether Lewis, Henley and Western Albemarle High School in the county school system, and then graduated from St. Anne's-Belfield School. He received both his B.A. (1996) and J.D. (2001) from Yale University. From 2002-03, Perriello was special advisor to the international prosecutor of the Special Court for Sierra Leone, where he worked with child soldiers, amputees, and local pro-democracy groups, and helped to prosecute warlords.[2] He then became Special Advisor and spokesperson for the international prosecutor who indicted Liberian dictator Charles Taylor and helped force him from power peaceably. He has been a consultant to the International Center for Transitional Justice in Kosovo (2003), Darfur (2005), and Afghanistan (2007) where he worked on justice-based security strategies. Perriello has also been a fellow at The Century Foundation and consultant to the National Council of Churches of Christ. He helped to launch FaithfulAmerica.org, Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, and is a co-founder of DarfurGenocide.org and Avaaz.org, an international on-line community of 3.3 million members, operating in 12 languages, dedicated to building a global response to "problems without borders" such as climate change. He has also worked with the Rev. James Forbes on prophetic justice principles.[3]

2008 election

See also: United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2008 § District 5

Perriello is challenging six-term Republican congressman Virgil Goode who made headlines in 2006 for his comments regarding Congressman-elect Keith Ellison of Minnesota, Islam, the Bible, and immigration. In his bid for Congress, Perriello is calling for a restoration of America's commitment to the common good. He has twice broken fundraising records for the district[citation needed] and out-raised Virgil Goode in 2007 and the first quarter of 2008.[4][5]

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has targeted the Goode-Perriello race, partly based on the level of local fundraising. On August 1, the race was named to the DCCC's Red to Blue Program. This signifies that it is viewed as one of the Democrats best chances for pickups in 2008.[6][7] Although CQ Politics consider it "likely Republican", Cook "leaning Republican", and Rothenberg "at limited risk",[8][9][10] the Roanoke Times reported "Goode said this race will be the toughest he has faced since first being elected."[4]

Democratic Governor Tim Kaine carried the district narrowly in the 2005 gubernatorial election.[11]

According to the New York Times, Perriello has won the 5th district with a percentage of 50.2% versus Goode's 49.8% at 100% precinct reporting. The margin between the two candidates is only 1157 votes.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ Hopkins, Shawn (2008-01-23). "Perriello wants to bring changes". Martinsville Bulletin. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  2. ^ Gibson, Bob (2007-10-06). "Perriello enters race for 5th seat". The Daily Progress. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  3. ^ Baker, Bernard (2008-02-05). "Pastor: Poverty 'weapon of mass destruction'". Danville Register & Bee. (via WSLS-TV). Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  4. ^ a b Tisdale, Ruth L. (2008-01-20). "Democrat says time is right". The Roanoke Times. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  5. ^ "Goode challenger pulls in big bucks". Danville Register & Bee. (via WSLS-TV). 2008-04-01. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  6. ^ Reed, Ray (2008-04-02). "National Democratic Party added Goode-Periello race to target list". The News & Advance. (via WSLS-TV). Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  7. ^ "2008 Races Map: South". Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Retrieved 2008-05-18.
  8. ^ "U.S. House, Virginia - 10th District". CQ Politics. Retrieved 2008-07-17.
  9. ^ Cook Political Report
  10. ^ Rothenberg Political Report
  11. ^ "General Election- November 8, 2005". Virginia State Board of Elections. Retrieved 2008-05-18. Official results by congressional district.
  12. ^ "Election Results 2008: Virginia". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
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