Non-bylined articles represent the majority view of the Revolution staff. The opinions do not represent Albemarle County Public Schools.
There is no doubt that this election season has the potential to be an impactful one. Over the past four years, the rise in extremism and hyper-partisanship has sparked concern about the future of our nation, democracy, and the world. When the stakes are so high, every vote and position matters, which is why The Revolution officially endorses Gloria Witt for the U.S. 5th District House of Representatives.
Witt isn’t a career politician, so she would bring a fresh perspective to the table no matter the issue. She has extensive experience in leadership roles as part of organizations like the NAACP and the Boys and Girls Club, showing her desire to uplift and protect everybody.
However, her opponent, John McGuire III seemingly would respond “How high?” if asked to jump by former president Donald Trump, who has endorsed him. If McGuire is so tightly allied with a person who has not only repeatedly made racist and homophobic remarks but was also found liable for sexually abusing a woman, what does that say about his beliefs and character?
By contrast, Witt hopes to solidify reproductive rights for women such as abortions, and protect all people from discrimination of any kind. In a world full of hate, she represents a brighter, more inclusive, equal, and caring future.
Witt plans to increase the educational emphasis on workforce-related skills, which would help prepare students for life after high school. She also supports bans on assault-style firearms, which would make our country, including our schools safer.
McGuire, on the other hand, is endorsed by and has been given a grade of “A” by the National Rifle Association. This means that he thinks that Americans should continue to have access to military-grade weapons meant for killing as many people as quickly as possible, which seems a little excessive for self-defense, don’t you think?
However, all of these are moot points if our democratic process ceases to function. Witt is a firm supporter of our true democracy, a feature that sets the United States apart from so much of the world and is a large part of what makes America so special. It is no secret that our democracy is threatened by Donald Trump and his MAGA cult, an ugly truth that was displayed for all the world to see on Jan. 6, 2021, when violent Trump supporters stormed the Capitol in an attempt to subvert a free and fair election.
Not only does McGuire continue to spout lies and conspiracy theories about that day and the election in general, but he was present outside the Capitol that day, standing in solidarity with the white supremacists, Oath Keepers, neo-Nazis, and felons currently serving jail time for seditious conspiracy. When we talk about threats to democracy, we are talking about people like John McGuire.
All of this goes to say that if you truly care about your safety, if you truly care about others, if you truly care about the future of our nation, voting for Witt is the only choice. She has a track record of uplifting all Americans, and will continue to fight to make our country a safer and more inclusive place.
