Congratulations to Congressman-Elect Connolly! - Virginia's 11th Congressional District Democratic Committee -

Congratulations Gerry!

The 11th Congressional District Democratic Committee of the Democratic Party of Virginia congratulates Gerry Connolly on his election to Congress.

We are confident that Congressman-Elect Connolly will provide the citizens of the 11th CD with common-sense, results-oriented representation that will serve us well in the coming years.

We also believe Gerry Connolly will emerge as a leader within the U.S. House of Representatives and will use his intellect and his passion for government to help President-Elect Barack Obama turn our federal government around.We congratulate the Connolly family, campaign manager James Walkinshaw, the entire Connolly for

Congress staff, and our dedicated volunteers for their hard work in a hard-fought campaign.

We also offer our thanks to Governor Kaine, Senator Webb, elected officials across Northern Virginia, and all of the Democrats who worked to help Gerry Connolly win this congressional election. Last, but certainly not least, thanks to everyone in the 11th CD who cast their votes in this historic election.

Sincerely,

George Burke, Chair

Text of Congressman-Elect Gerry Connolly’s Election Night Victory Speech

I want to thank all of you who were a part of this effort. First, I want to thank my wife Cathy and daughter Caitlin. I want to thank my staff and the hundreds of volunteers who contributed countless hours on my behalf. I want to thank my friends in labor, the environmental community, and the business community. I want to thank my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors and elected state and local officials from across Northern Virginia who supported me. Finally, I want to thank my good friend Governor Tim Kaine for believing in me from the start.

Tonight Virginians joined their fellow Americans in taking back their government. Tonight we told the ideologues to stand aside, it is time for a common sense approach that gets results. Tonight we told Washington to stop the endless partisan bickering and get something done.

Tonight we judged one Party and held its Administration to account for its failures and mismanagement: Katrina, Iraq, Global Warming, declining incomes, lost jobs, the biggest deficit in American history, the largest one-week drop in the stock market’s history. And the voters spoke — enough, be gone, you’ve had your day. It is time for a change.

And tonight we turned a heavy page on 400 years of racial history and reaffirmed the American imperative that all men and women are created as equals. All are entitled to reach their highest potential. All are to be given that opportunity.

Tonight we celebrate a historic election that will be recorded in the annals of this generation and for generations to come. But tomorrow, we Democrats begin the arduous task before us — to heal political wounds, to end a war honorably, to reassert that torture can never be an American value, to stabilize a lasting economy, to restore our place in the world, to reassert our environmental stewardship, to provide quality education for all our children, to revamp a broken health care system, to level the playing field for working men and women, to reach across the aisle to restore civility and mutual respect in our polity.

All the easy things have been done. The next Administration and Congress now face the greatest economic challenge since 1932. We need to recognize that much damage has been done and we won’t be able to fix everything overnight, but we must be willing to tackle the tough and seemingly intractable issues. But most importantly we must act. We must remake the federal government as a responsive, accountable instrument of the people we serve. If we do all of these things we will extend tonight’s historic mandate for a generation. If we insist that the government must work for all of our citizens again, we cannot fail.

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Washington Post: Connolly Effective and Produces Results

The Washington Post cited Gerry Connolly’s effectiveness, ability to produce results, and his success in managing Fairfax County in its endorsement of Connolly’s bid for Congress in Virginia’s 11th District.

Noting that “Connolly is attuned to the needs of the District,” the Post said, “In his effective five-year tenure as chairman, Mr. Connolly has preserved affordable housing, promoted stricter environmental standards and continued to make rail to Dulles International Airport a priority.”

The Post faulted Connolly’s opponent, as other newspapers have, for issuing false charges about Connolly’s handling of the county budget and criticized his opponent’s tenuous grasp of economic issues.

The newspaper editorial said that Connolly was the “best bet to extend (Tom Davis’) record of valuable service.”

Fairfax Times Endorses Connolly for Congress

Calling Gerry Connolly the “best option for this district,” the Fairfax Times highlighted Connolly’s local government experience and his solid background in foreign affairs in its endorsement of his bid for election to Virginia’s 11th Congressional District.

Stressing that Connolly is the best candidate to replace retiring incumbent Congressman Tom Davis, the Fairfax Times said, “While he is a Democrat and will certainly not be a mirror voting image of Republican Davis, Connolly does share many of the qualities that have made Davis an effective leader; he comes from a local government background; he has detailed knowledge of local, national, and international issues; and he knows how to work the political system to accomplish his goals.”

The Times editorial criticized Republican Keith Fimian for “focusing on running a largely anti-Connolly campaign” and said, “Fimian has not demonstrated a good working knowledge of many of the key issues facing the country today… his learning curve would be very steep.”

In endorsing Connolly for Congress, the Times concluded that “in this critical time in our country’s history, we need someone who is up to the task in his first term.”

The full Fairfax Times editorial can be found here: http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/news/2008/oct/22/connolly-11th/

Potomac News and Messenger Endorses Connolly

The Potomac News and Messenger has endorsed Gerry Connolly for Congress, saying “he has shown he has the capabilities we want in a representative.”

The News and Messenger, Prince William County’s daily newspaper of record, said, “Connolly is dynamic, knowledgeable, and experienced. Keith Fimian, on the other hand, while well-intentioned, shows a poor grasp of the issues and has little experience… he does not have what it takes to go to Congress.”

Highlighting Connolly’s support for mass transit, “his flare for improving the area he represents,” and his strong foreign policy background, the editorial said, “Connolly has shown he can handle the responsibilities of leadership and we would like to see him take that to the national level.”

The newspaper editorial criticized Fimian for false claims about Connolly and the Fairfax County budget, noting that Fimian’s statements are “simply untrue.”

The News and Messenger concluded that “There is only one choice for the 11th Congressional District of Virginia and that choice is Gerry Connolly.”

The full Potomac News and Messenger editorial can be found here: http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/news/2008/oct/22/connolly-11th/

Connection Newspapers Endorse Connolly

The Connection Newspapers have endorsed Gerry Connolly to become the next Congressman in Virginia’s 11th District, saying “his experience and intellect position him for success in this diverse district.”

Citing Connolly’s focus on transportation investments, the environment, gang prevention, school programs, federal employees, and affordable housing, the Northern Virginia newspaper chain praised Connolly’s vision, enthusiasm, and leadership in Fairfax County. “His focus has helped achieve important results,” it said.

“Connolly’s intellect and drive have supported the quality of the life in Fairfax County,” the editorial said. It noted that Connolly “more than meets the challenge” of replacing Tom Davis in Congress.

The full Connection Newspapers editorial can be found here: http://www.connectionnewspapers.com/article.asp?article=321002&paper=84&cat=109

Connolly Endorsed by Kaine and Webb

Fairfax Chair Gerry Connolly, Democratic candidate for Congress in Virginia’s 11th District, with Governor Tim Kaine and U.S. Senator Jim Webb at a recent event. Kaine and Webb have endorsed Connolly for Congress.

Connolly and Obama Before Rally

Barack Obama and Gerry Connolly are running as a team.

Warner and Connolly

Gerry Connolly with U.S. Senate candidate Mark Warner. Both candidates will bring positive change and common sense governing to Washington.