Tom Perriello, Democratic hopeful for governor, courts young voters at VCU and UR
Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tom Perriello is taking his talking tour to Virginia's colleges this week, courting a youth vote that helped propel Bernie Sanders in last year's presidential race.
Perriello's Q&A sessions with students range in discussion about economic trends, disparate treatment of races, ways to create clean energy jobs, free higher education and the chance for Virginia to be the first state in the country to lead a progressive revolt against President Donald Trump, who ran what the 42-year-old calls "the most overtly racist campaign of my lifetime."
Perriello on Thursday met with groups of about 30 people, first at Virginia Commonwealth University and then at the University of Richmond with a fundraising meeting in between. His schedule then took him to Longwood University and on Friday he'll visit Hampton University, Virginia Wesleyan College, Norfolk State University and the College of William and Mary.
The former one-term congressman from Virginia's 5th district, a self-described "Charlottesville liberal" who now lives in Northern Virginia, is in a tight race with Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam in the June 13 primary for the Democratic nomination. The winner will face one of three Republicans: Political strategist Ed Gillespie, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee; state Sen. Frank W. Wagner, R-Va. Beach; or Corey Stewart, chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.
Read more: http://www.richmond.com/news/virginia/tom-perriello-democratic-hopeful-for-governor-courts-young-voters-at/article_67a6d0e9-7157-5e69-a3c4-659dd0b55f8c.html
