Candidates battle for 23rd District seat

Incumbent T. Scott Garrett seeks Republican win

Delegate T. Scott Garrett, who was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in November 2009, represents Virginia’s 23rd House District and is up for re-election as the Republican candidate in the upcoming Nov. 5 elections, according to his website.

Garrett, whose district includes parts of Amherst County, Bedford County and Lynchburg, will continue fighting for new jobs, according to a speech he made at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest during an event held by the Lynchburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.

“We are absolutely focused on getting meaningful employment to all Virginians,” Garrett said.

In his campaign video entitled “Join My Campaign,” Garrett said he has gone door-to-door, talking to families about issues they are concerned about.

“I hear their concerns about education and our children’s future, as well as confusion and uncertainty as ObamaCare approaches,” Garrett said.

According to an article in The News & Advance, Garrett spoke about his values and where he stands on certain issues, particularly issues that affect families.

“It has been my honor and privilege to serve the people of the 23rd House District for the past four years, and I will continue to focus on fighting for a business-friendly environment that sustains working Virginians, preparing our children for the future and keeping our families safe,” Garrett said.

Garrett also spoke on the issue of homosexuality.

“Marriage is between one man and one woman,” Garrett said. “That’s what I believe, and that’s what I support.”

According to the article, Garrett is also focusing his campaign on the war against drugs.

“As a father and a physician, the health and safety of our families is my primary concern, and therefore I support law enforcement in their efforts to keep drugs off our streets and away from our children,” Garrett said.

Another issue that Garrett speaks out on is the issue of funding abortion. According to a WSET article, Garrett approved an amendment that aims to restrict funding of abortion through tax payers dollars.

“This was a small step and a way of trying to affirm that our values do matter, and the overreach that the federal government is imposing upon us is not tolerable,” Garrett said in the article.

Garrett’s stance on nuclear energy, another area he is focusing on, can be seen in a press release on Garrett’s website, which explains his support of bills that will use resources to “attract nuclear energy projects, provide training and education programs and facilitate valuable partnerships.”

Focusing on making Virginia a national and global leader in nuclear energy, Garrett sponsored this legislation, according to the press release.

“This is the first step in the creation of a meaningful collaboration that will gather Virginia’s nuclear industry partners around a single table to identify opportunities and develop strategies for supporting and expanding the nuclear industry in Virginia,” Garrett said in the press release.

For more information on Garrett and his campaign, visit tscottgarrett.com.

Jonathan Parrish promotes libertarian philosophies

Liberty University graduate Jonathan Parrish will be running against T. Scott Garrett as the Libertarian Party candidate for the House of Delegates in the upcoming Nov. 5 election, according to The News & Advance.

Parrish, who believes in protecting the God-given liberties of the people, according to his website Parrish for Delegate, said he is running to give voters in the 23rd District an option to vote for someone other than a Republican.

“The Democrats and the Republicans have not delivered on their promises,” Parrish said. “Like many of you, I have felt frustrated and disenfranchised by the Plutocracy.”

Believing in the libertarian philosophy, Parrish said he supports liberty, according to his website. He said he believes in the people’s right to choose and live, as long as no one is getting hurt.

“Although Republicans and Democrats often talk about freedom, they usually violate our freedoms and give us more rules and taxation instead,” Parrish said on his website. “We believe that adults and communities know best how to govern themselves.”

According to his website, the three biggest issues that Parrish is fighting for are the need to cut taxes and spending, the need to legalize marijuana and the need for reforming the school system. Parrish said these are his top priorities.

“The government’s attempt to centralize our education has been costly and ineffective,” Parrish said. “The federal government solution is to throw more money and increase regulation in a system that is already broken. Local school boards should be allowed to allocate funds as they see fit.”

Other issues that Parrish is addressing during his campaign are issues involving the protection of gun rights and the ending of persecution of victimless crimes, according to his website. Parrish said he believes that victimless crimes are overcrowding Virginia’s prisons and using too much of the taxpayers’ money.

When it comes to controversies such as same-sex marriage and drugs, Parrish said he would work to end the costly and ineffective drug war as well as the prohibition on gay marriage, according to an article in The News & Advance.

“I do not believe the government should have any say in what consenting adults do in the privacy of their own homes,” Parrish said.

On his website, Parrish said he believes marriage should not be something that the federal government, the state government or the local government should make decisions about concerning the people. He said it should be a decision between two people.

Another issue that Parrish addresses in his campaign for delegate is the issue of accessible food.

“Food is a basic necessity of life,” Parrish wrote in a handout displayed on his website. “But, at every turn, the federal government, under the auspices of helping us attain safer food, has actually made safer, healthy food more inaccessible. Their regulations have led to local meat being double what it would cost if farmers were allowed to process on their own farms.”

According to his website, Parrish said he will fight for liberty on every issue.

For more information on Parrish, visit parrishfordelegate.com.