Goodlatte, Comstock, Forbes and Hurt join Griffith and endorse Gillespie for Governor in 2017
Four current and former Virginia Congressional leaders endorsed Ed Gillespie for Governor on Thursday. U.S. Representatives Bob Goodlatte and Barbara Comstock, and former U.S. Representatives Randy Forbes and Robert Hurt support Gillespie for the Republican party nomination in June, joining Rep. Morgan Griffith, who endorsed him in December.
“For eight years now, Virginia’s Congressional leaders have fought the damaging policies of the Obama Administration. Now they have an opportunity to work with a Trump administration to advance Virginia’s priorities,” said Gillespie. “I am honored to have the support of these longtime friends and leaders. Representatives Goodlatte, Comstock, Forbes, Hurt, and Griffith have effectively represented their districts. They also understand the limited role of government, especially the Federal Government. I’ll work with Bob, Barbara and Morgan to rebalance federal and state power appropriately, and to advance policies at all levels of government that make Virginia stronger, better and safer.”
“Ed Gillespie is a principled leader with a record of advancing the conservative cause,” said Goodlatte, who represents Virginia’s Sixth Congressional District. “Ed helped write the Contract with America that led to the Republican Revolution — a turning point in our government in which I was proud to participate. With Ed’s help, Republicans in Congress balanced the budget for the first time in more than two decades. He will apply those same constitutional principles to being governor. He will protect innocent human lives, defend the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens and fight back against attacks on religious freedom. He has my full support.”
“I’m honored to support my long-time friend Ed Gillespie to be our next Governor. Ed has worked for decades with the people of Northern Virginia, and he celebrates and understands the economic and ethnic diversity here,” said Comstock. “He has a strong, commonsense, and pro-growth economic plan that would provide opportunity and upward mobility for all. Ed grew up seeing his immigrant father living the American Dream and he is passionate about bringing our message to every corner of the Commonwealth. He has the skill set to get the job done and a servant’s heart to give back to our Commonwealth.”
Former Congressman Forbes said, “Ed understands the unique position that our Commonwealth is in. Over the next few years, Virginia will need to work with the new Trump Administration as we restore our Navy to its rightful strength. But in the long-term we can’t rely on federal spending to fuel our economy. Ed is uniquely suited to tackle these competing but equally-critical goals.” Forbes, who represented Virginia’s Fourth Congressional District from 2001 to 2017, added, “He has the right kind of experience to get things done in the short-term and he has the right kind of vision to strengthen our economy in the long-term. I am proud to endorse Ed Gillespie to be Virginia’s next governor.”
“Too many people in rural central and southern Virginia feel forgotten and left behind as their jobs have disappeared and the opportunities they were promised failed to emerge. Ed has a vision and will put forward a substantive plan to get Virginia’s economy back on track,” said former Congressman Hurt, who represented Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District from 2011 to 2017. “He knows that small businesses need tax and regulatory relief. He understands that we need workforce programs aligned with the needs of the marketplace. He relates to the hardworking people of the communities I’ve served. I am proud to support his campaign for Governor.”
Gillespie is also endorsed by 62 of the 87 Republican members of the General Assembly, a majority of the State Central Committee, and more than 30 local unit chairs. The campaign announced Wednesday that it raised more than $1.1 million in the fourth quarter of 2016 and will carry nearly $2 million cash on hand into 2017. The campaign has also signed up nearly 4,000 committed volunteers and supporters.