Start planning now and set the date aside for the MCDC Summer Picnic. Please note that it will be held on Sunday afternoon this year from 5:30-8:00 pm. The location is Nellie's Cave Park. Contact Nancy Rooker (540)961-0135 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information. As usual, each of us will bring a covered dish, and MCDC will provide soft drinks and paperware.

Full information is on the website calendar for July on the left side of the webpage. Click on the date (July 26) for picnic details including a map to Nellie's Cave Park. 

As Democratic Candidate for House of Delegates

Democrats from the 7th District caucused to unanimously elect Peggy Frank as their nominee for the House of Delegates seat from the district. Caucus members and quite a few guests cheered and applauded throughout the meeting from the welcome by State Senator John Edwards who lauded Frank's attributes to the three nominating speeches, but saved their loudest voices of support for Frank as she gave her acceptance speech. Read the press release below for highlights of the speech and additional campaign information.

 

 

                                                 State Senator John Edwards welcomes caucus members

 

 

                      

      Erica Williams nominates Peggy Frank                                            Peggy Frank with Radford Democratic Chair Gail Montouri

 

 

 

                                                          Molly McClintock, Chair of the caucus

 

                                
        Joel Coon, campaign manager for Peggy Frank with        Carole Pratt,candidate for 6th District House of Delegates

        Steve Cochran, MCDC Chair                      

 

 

Peggy Frank for Delegate

Christiansburg, Virginia

 

 

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                    Contact: Joel Coon, Campaign Manager

May 13, 2009                                                          Phone: 540-353-8404

                                                                              Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

 

 

Peggy Frank Receives Democratic Nomination for the

7^th District in the Virginia House of Delegates

 

(Radford, VA) Peggy Frank, Assistant Commonwealths Attorney in Pulaski County received the Democratic Nomination for the 7^th District in the Virginia House of Delegates Wednesday night at the 7^th District Democratic Caucus in Radford.

 

The attendees at the caucus unanimously elected Frank as their nominee by acclamation. Addressing the caucus, Frank outlined her agenda for the 7^th District, emphasizing her commitment to bipartisanship, job creation, making healthcare more affordable, and improving education and public safety.

 

Frank pledged her support for investments in education, public safety and the job creation efforts of Congressman Rick Boucher and Governor Tim Kaine, stating, “In the House of Delegates I will fight to bring good paying jobs to the district and because every person, young and old, deserves a quality education and affordable healthcare, I will work hard to improve education and reduce the cost of healthcare.”

 

Frank reminded the audience that the campaign will be long and time consuming, but worthwhile because “we deserve a delegate who will put aside partisanship and stand up for education, good jobs, healthcare, and the needs of the 7^th District.”

 

Peggy Frank has over 18 years of experience as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Montgomery and Pulaski Counties. She currently serves as Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Pulaski County. She and her husband Marshall have lived in the New Rover Valley for over 22 years and are the proud parents of three children.

 

###

 

Paid for and Authorized by Peggy Frank for Delegate.

 

---

Gubernatorial Candidates Debate in Blacksburg

Left to Right, the candidates Brian Moran, Creigh Deeds, and Terry McAuliffe

 

Last Wednesday, April 29, the three candidates running in the June 9th primary to be the Democratic nominee for Governor of Virginia debated in Blacksburg at the Lyric Theatre. An overflow crowd listened attentively as Brian Moran, Creigh Deeds, and Terry McAuliffe answered questions submitted previously online. While not a true debate, there still were times when the candidates challenged each other on the issues and "mixed-it-up," showing their personalities. What made this debate different from the other four occurring throughout the state is that it was organized by progressive blogger, Ben Tribbett of Not Larry Sabato (NLS) and was sponsored by NLS and two other progressive blogs, Huffington Post whose political blogger, Nico Pitney served as a questioner along with Jane Hamsher of Firedoglake. David Grant of the Collegiate Times rounded out the panel with Tribbett servng as moderator. In addition to the live audience, hundreds of people were able to listen via a live stream online and respond in real time to the candidates' remarks using Twitter, a popular social networking site.

     

        The panel Nico Pitney, David Grant, and Jame Hamsher                          Moderator Ben Tribbett

 

Prior to the debate, Steve Cochran, chair of MCDC introduced local office-holders and other political guests; Dickie Cranwell, head of the Democratic Party of Virginia and House of Delegates member, Jim Shuler both offered short remarks; and Steve Shannon, Democratic nominee for Attorney General and a new face to many, introduced himself to the Southwest Virginia audience.

 

                  

      Dickie Cranwell, DPV Chair             Steve Shannon, AG Nominee           Del.Jim Shuler and MCDC Chair Steve Cochran

 

By all accounts, the debate was a success. Local and state media including several bloggers covered the event, candidates were able to advance their views on the issues, and perhaps because this was a debate in which any concerned citizen could submit questions, some very interesting inquiries that have not been discussed previously, were placed before the candidates. 

 

 

                                   The crowd began gathering one and a half hours early in front of the theatre

 

---

 

Senator Warner in the Neighborhood

 

                                                                                                 (Picture Courtesy of Larry Middleton)

 

(Larry Middleton, official photographer for MCDC cpvered tje Senator Mark Warner visit to Radford University this week. The following is his write-up of his day at the university culminating in a pick-up game between two squads from the 2009 Big South Men's Basketball championship team.)

 

U.S. Senator Mark Warner (Democrat, Virginia) 'picked-up' the 'pick-up' scrimmage at Radford University's Dedmon Center, on Tuesday afternoon.