Congresswoman Spanberger:

Since first being elected in 2018, you have served the people of Virginia’s seventh congressional district. But now, the Virginia Supreme Court has redrawn the state’s districts, and the seventh district has been moved north, removing you from the boundaries.

Last week you announced that you intend to seek reelection in the seventh district despite not living in the district’s redrawn borders. And while it is unfortunate that the new district excludes your home, we firmly believe that the new seventh district would be best served by a representative who lives within it. With respect, we ask that you do not run for reelection in the seventh district.

This is not a critique of your job performance in Congress, nor is it a criticism of your policies or your voting record. Our reasoning lies solely in the fact that this district is full of diverse elected officials and community leaders who would excel as its new representative, and they deserve that opportunity just as much as the people of the new district deserve a representative who lives in their district.

Congressman Tip O’Neill, who served five terms as Speaker of the House, was known for the adage “all politics is local.” And though the internet, other technological advancements, and the ongoing pandemic have changed the way candidates connect and communicate with voters, the phrase still holds a lot of meaning. All politics is and should be local.

The people of the seventh district deserve a local representative, not someone who lives outside of it, regardless of how close by they may live. There are dozens of talented elected officials, former elected officials, activists, and community leaders in the new district–there is no shortage of qualified and talented potential candidates.

Your time representing the seventh district may have been short, but nobody is entitled to serve in Congress. Those who believe that they have what it takes to represent their district should do just that–represent their district, not one they don’t live in. 

While the Constitution may allow you to run for office in a congressional district that you do not reside in, that does not by any means suggest that you should.

Congresswoman Spanberger, we hope that you will consider all of this and reconsider your intentions to seek reelection in the new seventh district. The people of our community deserve a representative who is part of our community.

Sincerely,

The PW Perspective Editorial Board