Originally published in the Roanoke Times.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie visited Santa’s workshop in Vinton on Wednesday in of a string of campaign stops that also include meeting with the president of Radford University and superintendent of Virginia Military Institute.
Gillespie will meet with the two university presidents to discuss higher education funding and how colleges are matching their curricula to workforce needs, he said at a gift drive for seniors in the former Vinton library building.
In his effort to meet with the presidents at all of Virginia’s public four-year colleges and universities, Gillespie met with Radford President Brian Hemphill later Wednesday and will meet with VMI Superintendent Gen. Binford Peay on Thursday. The political strategist from Fairfax County already met with Virginia Tech President Timothy Sands.
“Their focus is, as is with any public institution in the commonwealth with a $1.5 billion revenue shortfall, is funding,” Gillespie said. “But many of them are engaged in reforms and reforms to help make their schools more affordable, to institute programs that make sure that the students graduate with skills that are transferable in the marketplace and enable young Virginians coming out of our colleges and universities to get high-paying jobs.”
Earlier this year, Gov. Terry McAuliffe announced a state shortfall of roughly $1.5 billion in the two-year budget. Virginia’s public universities have been told to plan for a 7.5 percent funding decrease in the next fiscal year to offset the shortfall.
In Vinton, Gillespie watched as organizers for the Be a Santa to a Senior program organized and wrapped gifts. The gift-giving program in its 13th year is run by Del. Chris Head, R-Botetourt, and is connected to his Home Instead senior care business. The program is set to distribute more than 2,000 gifts to senior citizens in the Roanoke and Lynchburg areas this Christmas.
As of now, Gillespie will face three other Republican candidates in a June primary. They are: Corey Stewart, who chaired Donald Trump’s Virginia campaign until he was fired a month before Election Day, state Sen. Frank Wagner, R-Virginia Beach, and U.S. Rep. Robert Wittman, R-Westmoreland.