Fair Oaks, VA - Richard Anthony, a veteran of the Army Reserves and workforce development consultant, formally announced today that he is running to represent Virginia's 10th Congressional District in the U.S. Congress.
"The current political system, and Congress, too often fail to hear our voice and fail to solve the urgent problems we face," said Anthony. "We are facing one of the most serious economic challenges of our lifetime, and yet, Congress continues to be mired in political gamesmanship and backroom deals for special interests. Whether on health care, the economy, financial reform or national security we have seen time and time again that Congress just doesn't seem to get it."
"I'm not a career politician. I'm running for Congress to bring a renewed focus on the needs of our community and the country," Anthony continued. "I have dedicated myself to making a difference in people's lives, and I am committed to listening to people to find solutions that actually help. In Congress, I will put that dedication and passion to work."
Anthony served in the Army Reserves for six years, and served as President and CEO of the NETWORK Consortium. Today he works as a workforce development consultant. He has served as President of his Home Owners Association, Vice President of the PTO for his children's school, coach for his son's countless CYA Soccer and Baseball teams, and as a frequent volunteer for the National Kidney Foundation. He serves on the Sully District Area Plan Review Task Force, and is an active member of Northern Virginia Democratic Business Council and the Dulles Area Chamber of Commerce.
Anthony is a graduate of Bowling Green University. He and his wife, Michele, live in Fair Oaks and have been residents of Fairfax County since 1995. They have two children, Katie and Max, ages 11 and 9.
As a resident of the 10th Congressional District since I moved to Virginia back in 2004 I've seen many election cycles where Frank Wold has easily won reelection. He is without a doubt an "entrenched incumbent" even though he lives in a substantially blue district in Northern Virginia. The numbers in Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William should be enough to overtake the strong red areas of the 10th, like Warren, Page and Frederick (My new home this year) but for some reason Democrats can't solve the puzzle. Rich Anthony will be that candidate to solve the Frank Wolf puzzle. Here's a few reasons why I like Rich as a candidate.
Personally, after serving in the military I have a special place for those who have served and want to continue their service in public office. More importantly, there are many thing I see in Rich that I currently have and am experiencing right now. We both grew up in middle class upbringings without any college savings accounts and have had to work our way through college to pay for our educations. Those two points in my opinion make a winning combination for me as a voter because it makes Rich a candidate who as Congressman can truly represent me and majority of the people in the district. Often times there is a disconnect between our elected candidates and their constituents and one experienced by the constituents of the 10th congressional district.
