Donte Tanner
HD-40
Centreville/Pr. William/Fairfax Counties
DC Metro
https://dontetanner.com

Background

With two police officer parents, public service was Donte’s ambition; from public schools, he entered the US Air Force Academy in 1997. Donte’s story of “service before self” is his campaign message.

Donte served in the USAF for 4 years, with distinction, working on space and missile systems, promoted to captain at age 25. He left for the private sector in 2007. Donte is a small businessman and understands their needs. After serving as a government contractor for 8 years he set up his own small business as a government consulting firm in 2015.

Donte is endorsed by “VoteVets”, a PAC whose mission is to elect veterans to public office. Although progressive, they have endorsed both Republicans and Democrats.

How Close is this Race?

Clinton won district 40 by 9 percentage points in 2016. The incumbent Republican is a prolific fundraiser with unsavory donors and strong name recognition.

November 2016 Presidential Race
Clinton
(D)
Trump
(R)
17,363 14,504
51.3% 42.85%
2013 House of Delegates Race
Foltz
(D)
Hugo
(R)
5,781 10,875
34.7% 65.3%

Why this Race Matters most:
The time is right to defeat an entrenched Republican. We have a good chance to turn Virginia’s legislature from red to blue.
With a shifting electorate, this race has a good chance of having a Democrat elected, if Democrats show up to the po
lls.

 

  • Why Democrat Donte Tanner?
    • Donte strongly believes that anyone who wishes to serve his or her country should be allowed to do so.
    • Donte wants to save the Affordable Care Act for the benefit of Virginians and provide Medicaid to everyone.
    •  Donte will work for the District: to strengthen public schools, solve traffic problems and support small businesses.
  • Why NOT Republican Incumbent Tim Hugo?
    • Hugo has received large amounts of money from the tobacco industry, has sponsored bills to help the industry, and has voted against bills limiting tobacco’s reach to minors.
    • Hugo has voted against Medicaid expansion, a move that costs Virginians billions of dollars of federal funding and thousands of new jobs.
    •  Hugo has sponsored and supported numerous bills that make it easier to obtain guns and carry concealed guns.
    • Hugo has voted for bills to make it more difficult for ordinary citizens to vote.
    • Hugo has been in office for 7 terms and done little to solve the traffic problems except enrich himself with public funds for his own excessive transportation and travel. He billed almost $30,000 for personal expenses in an 18-mo. period.
Side by Side on Key Policy Issues:
Healthcare Donte wants to save the ACA for the benefit of all Virginians. Hugo voted with all other Republicans against Medicaid
Voter Suppression Donte supports an Independent Redistricting Commission to end Republican gerrymandering Hugo has voted for bills that create paperwork hurdles to voting, making it more difficult for ordinary citizens to vote.
Local Economy Donte supports helping small business owners as the engine of growth. He supports equal pay for women and making government work better for Virginia families, beginning at the local level. Hugo votes along right-wing Republican lines and opposes all tax increases while favoring pre-emptive state legislation that blocks localities from raising income taxes. He helped kill a bill in committee to raise the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 in 2017.

 

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