Common Sense Government

I threw my hat in the ring to be your representative for Virginia's 5th Congressional District. It's still unclear which areas the 5th district will encompass because of the redistricting bill, which will be voted on in April. When elected, I will be one of 435 voting members of the House of Representatives. Let's be realistic; there is only so much one person can do, since it takes a majority of members to move a bill forward before it goes to the Senate.

Today, members talk past each other rather than to each other, and very little gets accomplished. There are red and blue states. Each party has its own agenda, and compromise is rare. I know that whichever vote I cast will be cheered by half my constituents and hated by the other half. That's the reality I face as your representative. At this point, you might think there is something mentally wrong with me for putting myself in this position.

For years, I've said that things are broken in Washington. Like many of you, I've sat on the sidelines and complained about the status quo, hoping that our lawmakers would somehow be inspired to set aside political differences and work for the good of the American people. I finally realized that complaining doesn't accomplish anything, so I decided to go to Washington and change the system from the inside.

As I mentioned earlier, there is only so much one person can do, but I can raise awareness. I can be a voice for positive change. I can encourage each of you to contact your legislators and demand they support common-sense government. It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a country to create real change.

I am Gabriella Michele Bedsworth, and I'm ready to help restore sanity to Washington D.C. politics, but the truth is, I need your help. If you're in my District, I need your vote. If you're a concerned American, I need your financial support. To donate, go to the "Donate" button below.