Blog

Friends-

Thank you for once again standing with me and giving me the opportunity to continue to fight for our shared values of limited government, fiscal accountability, personal responsibility, low taxes, and family values. While we enjoyed a resounding victory here in the Sixth District, unfortunately Election Day overall did not go as well as we had all hoped. I want to thank you for everything you did here in the Sixth District for our cause.

Because of volunteers and supporters like you we contacted 193,782 people in the final ten days of this campaign by going door to door or talking to them on the phone.

Because of volunteers and supporters like you we contacted over 350,000 people since April, talking to them about the issues that are important to our communities.

Because of volunteers and supporters like you, we are going to be able to take this great grassroots effort and pass it on to our Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and House of Delegate candidates next year to make sure they keep this area of Virginia red.

Again, thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and trust.

What a day!  Labor Day 2008 was action packed and we had an opportunity to greet thousands of voters all across the Sixth District.  The day started at the Rockbridge Area Labor Day Breakfast at the VFW Post in Buena Vista where a large crowd gathered to eat breakfast and hear from Congressman Bob Goodlatte and many of our other Republican candidates.  From there we hit the streets of BV and spoke with thousands of voters.  This was Bob’s 17th year of walking in this annual campaign kick-off event and he saw several old friends and greeted many new supporters.  After walking the parade route and shaking thousands of hands Bob fired up the crowd when he spoke in Glen Maury Park.  From there, Bob headed over to Covington for their Labor Day Parade and the opportunity to once again greet thousands of voters.  Then, Bob headed to the Rockbridge Baths Labor Day Celebration and had the opportunity to speak with hundreds of voters there.

Thanks to all of the volunteers who came out on Sunday afternoon to help put up 1,000 yard signs and 50 large signs in Buena Vista.  Your efforts really showed today.  Also, we appreciate all of the folks who came out and walked with us in both the Buena Vista and Covington Parades and for those who met Bob in Rockbridge Baths and walked around with him.

 A campaign tradition… shaking hands and kissing babies.

Congressman Bob Goodlatte shook thousands of hands and had an opportunity to see many old friends and new supporters.

Bob and Maryellen Goodlatte walking the streets of Buena Vista. 

A photo of some of those who walked with us today.  Thanks for those who came out to volunteer for the Buena Vista Labor Day 2008 Parade. 

“Governor Sarah Palin is a great choice for Senator John McCain.  She has a strong record of accomplishment as Governor of Alaska, has a reputation for being a fiscal conservative who has made tough decisions and cut spending, and has worked to pass landmark ethics reforms in her state.  She is a proven reformer who will appeal to undecided voters and has a uniquely American personal story.  The voters of the Sixth District will find her a well qualified candidate who shares their values of energy independence, personal responsibility, and a strong national defense.” 

Over the past few months you have helped man the phone banks, walk in parades, go door to door, and put up signs for Congressman Goodlatte and we appreciate the support. But now has come the time to ramp up our grassroots activities and continue to take our message of low taxes, fiscal accountability, energy independence, and personal responsibility to the voters of the Sixth District.

On August 22nd, 23rd, and 24th we will be holding our first Winning Weekend event of the campaign. Over the course of these three days Congressman Goodlatte and volunteers all across the District will work to contact voters in every City and County with our positive message. I hope you will join us for the Winning Weekend event in your area as we work to contact 10,000 households in the Sixth District in just three days.

In just 79 days people will be going to the polls to vote for the people who they believe will best represent them and their values. With your support we will send Congressman Goodlatte back to Washington to continue working for us.
Winning Weekend Events:

Shenandoah County
Saturday August 23rd at 10am
United Country Real Estate
5250 Main Street - Mt. Jackson, Virginia
Contact Mike at (540) 248-1855 or MSargent@BobGoodlatte.com

Harrisonburg/Rockingham County
Saturday August 23rd at 12:30pm
The Printing Express
1832 South Main Street - Harrisonburg, Virginia
Contact Mike at (540) 248-1855 or MSargent@BobGoodlatte.com

Staunton/Waynesboro/Augusta County
Saturday August 23rd at 11am
Verona Victory Office
Office Grand Opening, Door to Door, and Phone Banks
465 Lee Highway, Suite 103 - Verona, Virginia
Contact Annie or Mike at (540) 248-1855 or ACelotto@BobGoodlatte.com or MSargent@BobGoodlatte.com

Lexington/Buena Vista/Rockbridge County
Saturday August 23rd at 10am
Rockbridge GOP Headquarters
203 South Main Street, Lexington, Virginia
For Phone Banks, contact Doug and Mattie Smith at: (540) 463-3530 or cardinalpt2@aol.com
For Door to Door, contact Bob James at (540) 463-4871 or rjames4543@embarqmail.com

Bath County/Highland County/Alleghany County/Covington
Phone calls all week and on Saturday
Contact Andy Jones at anjones@mgwnet.com or (540) 996-4422

Bedford County
Saturday, August 23rd at 10am
For Phone Banks contact Jessica Beckett at (732) 939-2238 jlbeckett@liberty.edu
For Door to Door contact Ben Summers at (434) 907-0159 or bensummers1@yahoo.com or Jessica Beckett at (732) 939-2238 or jlbeckett@liberty.edu

Amherst County
Saturday August 23rd at 10am
Hardees in Madison Heights
Contact Stephen Witham at (434) 929-1108 or spwitham@liberty.edu

Lynchburg
Phone Banks
Friday August 22nd and Saturday August 23rd at 5:30pm
3721 Cohen Place - Lynchburg, Virginia
Contact Doug Leavitt at (434) 832-8296 or dllkcl@comcast.net

Door to Door
Saturday August 23rd at 9:30am
The Bakery
7106 Timberlake Road - Lynchburg, Virginia
Contact Wendy Jacobs at (434) 420-7933 or wcjacobs72@msn.com

Botetourt County
Saturday, August 23rd at 3pm
Daleville Kroger Shopping Center
Contact Tim at (540) 389-1170 or tedson@bobgoodlatte.com

Roanoke/Roanoke City
Saturday, August 23rd at 9:30am
Goodlatte/McCain Victory HQ
3904 Franklin Road SW, Suite E - Roanoke, Virginia
Contact Tim at (540) 389-1170 or tedson@bobgoodlatte.com

Salem
Saturday, August 23rd at 9:30am
Wal-Mart Parking Lot
1851 W. Main Street - Salem, Virginia
Contact Greg Habeeb at salemrepublicans@yahoo.com

Today we held the Grand Opening of the Goodlatte for Congress and McCain Victory 2008 Campaign Headquarters in Roanoke, Virginia.  Close to 100 supporters came out to hear from Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, and Delegate Chris Saxman.  After the Grand Opening, many supporters stayed to volunteer with our neighbor to neighbor voter contact program.  If you want to volunteer, need yard signs, bumper stickers, or other campaign collateral, please stop by the Roanoke Office located at 3904 Franklin Road, SW - Suite E.  If you need directions, click here.

Here are a few photos from tonight:

You are invited to join us for the Grand Opening of the Goodlatte for Congress and Victory 2008 Roanoke Campaign Headquarters this Monday, July 28^th at 6pm. We hope you and your family will join us as we officially open our new office and hear speeches from Congressman Bob Goodlatte, Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, and Delegate Chris Saxman who is the Virginia Co-Chairman of the McCain for President Campaign.

The Goodlatte for Congress and Victory 2008 Headquarters are located at: 3904 Franklin Road SW - Roanoke, Virginia. It is near the intersection of Rt. 220 and Electric Road, diagonal to Tanglewood Mall.  To get directions, click here.  You can stop by the office to pick up yard signs, bumper stickers, and literature for John McCain, Jim Gilmore, and Bob Goodlatte.

To RSVP to the Grand Opening of the Victory Headquarters, please call our office at (540) 389-1170.  We hope to see you there on Monday at 6pm.

Energy prices are soaring and Virginia families are feeling the impact from the gas pump to the grocery store.  Skyrocketing energy prices and dependence on foreign sources of energy pose a grave threat to our nation’s security and economic stability.  

Gaining our independence from foreign sources of energy requires bipartisan cooperation and the recognition that our economy’s lifeblood remains tied to traditional sources of energy, most notably oil, natural gas and clean coal.  Just as the energy crisis we face has not emerged overnight, we must recognize that solutions will be found both in the short term with traditional energy sources and conservation, and in the long term with new technology, new fuels, and the uniquely American ingenuity.  

Our government must pursue policies that foster increased production of vast oil and natural gas reserves here in the United States in places like ANWR, the large oil shale fields of Colorado and Utah, and the deep ocean fields off our coasts.  This includes developing new refineries and clean coal plants.   These traditional sources can be supplemented with U.S. produced fuels like bio-diesel and non-subsidized ethanol, and by harnessing the power of wind and solar energy, and increasing our use of nuclear power.

With a diverse, affordable energy portfolio, our economy will remain vibrant and Americans will continue to enjoy the uniquely American freedom of choice, opportunity and quality of life we’ve always enjoyed while our economy transitions to the fuels and technologies of the future.  

President Bush recently signed an executive order lifting a 27-year old federal ban on offshore drilling.  I commend the President for this action which is overwhelmingly supported by the American people.   Democrats in Congress must now follow the President’s lead.  

Please join me in calling on the Democratic leadership in Congress to heed the will of the American people and cooperate with the President and Republicans to address our energy crisis by signing my online petition.  Just as talk of levying excessive taxes on oil companies and posturing about nationalizing the oil industry won’t produce an additional drop of gasoline, election year rhetoric and obstruction won’t help the millions of Americans struggling with high gas prices.   Americans need solutions, not rhetoric.  Those solutions are waiting to be tapped.  Energy independence begins here.

Tonight I got to spend some time at the Churchville Lawn Party and Parade.  Thank you to all of the volunteers and Delegate Chris Saxman who came and walked with me and Maryellen.  Below are a few pictures from the parade.

I applaud yesterday’s decision by the Supreme Court affirming what we’ve all known–that the Second Amendment protects the right of every law abiding American to own and possess a firearm.  This decision is truly a landmark one and a major victory for the principles of individual liberty articulated by our Founding Fathers—principles that have made our nation the freest, greatest, and most unique in the history of the world.

As clear and fundamental as this right is to most of us, for years liberals have worked to redefine our understanding of the Constitution and distort the words: “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”  With yesterday’s decision, Americans living in Washington, D.C. and other communities will no longer have their Constitutional rights trampled by unconstitutional gun bans and restrictions.

While yesteray’s decision is a major victory for the Constitution and individual liberty, we must remember it was decided by a 5 to 4 margin.  Four activist justices voted to deny Second Amendment protections to individual citizens.  Liberals will undoubtedly redouble their efforts to undermine our Second Amendment rights. 

The next President will likely make several appointments to the Supreme Court.  That is why it is imperative we elect a President and Members of Congress who will appoint and confirm justices to the federal courts that respect our Constitution and interpret the law rather than write it.       

Despite yesterday’s ruling, we must remain vigilant and proactive to protect our Constitution. Those bent on rewriting portions of it to reflect their political ideology are sure to continue their efforts.  I will continue to fight to protect our Constitutional rights and work to see the confirmation of more judges in the mold of those who issued today’s majority opinion protecting our right to bear arms. 

Today is one of those defining days that show the major differences between Democrats and Republicans.

Instead of bringing to the floor of Congress a bill to help American families deal with the rising cost of gas or a clean Troop Funding Bill, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrats voted in favor of the largest tax increase in American history.  Their $683 Billion tax hike will hurt working class families extremely hard.

The Associated Press says that the bill passed by Democrats will raise taxes on Americans making as little as $31, 850. Their plan, which I was proud to vote against, will hit 116 million taxpayers with an average tax hike of $1,833.  The bill will also cut the child tax credit in half which will hurt families with children, raise taxes on Seniors and working Americans who are investing in their future, and will reinstate the Marriage Penalty which will force married couples to pay higher taxes than if they filed as individuals.

At a time when Americans are struggling to pay higher gas prices and the sluggish economy is hurting our families, the best plan the Democrats in Congress have come up with is an enormous tax increase on our families.  The only rationale for such a policy is that the Democrats, as is often the case, simply want to spend more of your money while ignoring the real issues that impact our lives.

There are big differences between Republicans and Democrats and I need your help to point out those differences. I need you to join my campaign. Please contact the Field Director in your area to find out how you can help.

If you live in Augusta, Highland, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Staunton, Waynesboro or Harrisonburg please contact Julie Daniel at JDaniel@BobGoodlatte.com

If you live in Alleghany, Amherst, Bath, Bedford, Rockbridge, Lynchburg, Buena Vista, Covington, or Lexington please contact Annie Celotto at ACelotto@BobGoodlatte.com

If you live in Roanoke, Roanoke City, Salem, or Botetourt please contact Tim Edson at TEdson@BobGoodlatte.com

If you would like to join Students for Goodlatte, Veterans for Goodlatte, Sportsmen for Goodlatte or any other coalition group, please contact Brandon Moore at Brandon@BobGoodlatte.com

Thank you for your continued support for my campaign.

-Bob