With the Fifth Congressional District race entering its last week, Democratic incumbent Tom Perriello is trying to keep the political faith alive by returning to a stronghold: churches. In the past few months, Perriello has stopped in at least four churches around the district, in Palmyra, Farmville, Charlottesville and Lawrenceville.
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Hail Mary? Democratic incumbent Tom Perriello trails GOP challenger Robert Hurt in the polls, but may have an edge among people in the pews. |
While both campaigns have debated issues like campaign financing and job creation, Perriello may be the candidate more focused on flocks. According to Hurt’s website, he is an active member of the Chatham Presbyterian Church and, according to the church, he is always well received. However, multiple calls for comments to Hurt’s campaign regarding the role of churches in his campaign strategy were not returned by press time.
Perriello’s appearances in churches may give him more time to clarify his policies with some voters.
“It allows him to speak about policies in a way that he often doesn’t get a chance to, which is through the lens of faith and values,” says Jessica Barba, communications director for Perriello’s reelection campaign. “It allows voters to get a different perspective of the race than they would get through 30-second negative attack spots.”
And the strategy may be working. Just last week, church leaders in Danville, along with the representatives of the Matthew 25 Network Political Action Committee in Danville and Martinsville, publicly endorsed the Congressman. The endorsement arrives at a time when polls continue to show Perriello trailing Hurt. According to an October 18 poll from Roanoke College, Hurt leads Perriello, 46 to 40. A SurveyUSA poll taken a week prior had Hurt leading by 17, 56 to 39.
On September 19, Perriello addressed the congregation at Lawrenceville’s Tabernacle Zion Church in Brunswick County. “The congregation received him well,” says church member Cynthia Chambers, who adds that Perriello “stops by quite often.”
Perriello’s past mission work showed Chambers that he was “down to earth,” she says. “I do know that I am going to vote for him.” In the 2008 elections, Brunswick County went overwhelmingly for Perriello with 62.3 percent of the votes to Virgil Goode’s 37.6 percent.
In October, Perriello stopped at Mount Zion First African Baptist Church in Charlottesville, as he does from time to time. Pastor Dr. Alvin Edwards calls Perriello’s visit a religious one, and “not a political thing.”
Edwards says that if politicians stop by churches only when they run for office, it doesn’t leave a mark. “If they show up every so often at events that the church might have or for worship, they appreciate that.”
While Hurt’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment, Rachel Schoenewald, chairman of the Albemarle County Republican Committee, says the most important issues for Virginians are the economy and the creation of jobs. Hurt said in an August statement, “We need to stand up for the people and the small businesses in Southside and Central Virginia that are struggling.”
Barba says that while constituents’ anger at Washington is somewhat justified, the opposition has “offered no differences in what [Republicans] are promising to do than what has been tried and failed before.”
