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It's our turn now [1]

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Date: 2022-12-07  

My name is Zach Coltrain and I am the youngest ever filed candidate in the Virginia House of Delegates. A common theme that has been floated around from these past elections has been the importance of Gen Z voters in avoiding a ‘red wave.’ This is why I think now more than ever it’s time my generation had representation in our commonwealth. I am running as a 20-year-old college student because my district deserves to have a progressive choice after being stuck with a republican with deep pockets for so long, and because folks my age are tired of trying to explain their ideas to politicians who don’t take us seriously.

x 30% of voters 18-29 who voted early for the runoff DID NOT VOTE IN THE GENERAL.



Gen Z is tired of dealing with fascists, but we’re not tired of beating them at the ballot box. — Santiago Mayer (@santiagomayer_) November 30, 2022

I sent one of my interns to an event of my opponents, where she told me that midway through their conversation he cut her off to say hello to someone else. This echoes an experience I had that I have quoted as being what put me into the organizing game. It is so frustrating to see that this is repetitive in our local politics, and I know that its echoed all over the place. Young voters are ignored by our representatives, and all that has done is further mobilize people in our age group.

Now that the next ballot up will have my name on it, it is go time for me and my team. This race appears to be an uphill battle, but with grassroots support and small donor fundraising powering us we will be knocking doors and calling phones across my district to show them who the best option is.

Running a race in an odd year against someone with essentially and unlimited budget is tricky, but we need a candidate willing to be different and standout to grab the attention of Virginia’s 98th, and to flip the VA house and continue the progressive legislation we saw prior to 2021.

If you can help me get a running start into the new year, I have linked my Actblue below. If you are interested in keeping up with my campaign as we move into 2023 you can stick around on here or by checking my website!

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/12/7/2140588/-It-s-our-turn-now

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