press release:

Progressive Veterans Endorse Tom Perriello

for Governor of Virginia

June 7th, 2017

VIRGINIA BEACH – Today, Common Defense, a grassroots organization of progressive veterans and military family members, announced their endorsement of Tom Perriello in the Democratic primary election for Governor of Virginia.

According to Common Defense Executive Director Pam Campos, who served as an Air Force military intelligence analyst, “Tom is the leader Virginia needs to stop Donald Trump’s destructive agenda and stand up for progressive values. He’ll bring the state forward with bold plans that empower and protect working families, including Virginia’s large veteran and military community.”

According to Common Defense Communications Director and Marine Corps veteran Alexander McCoy, “Tom Perriello embodies the ideals of selfless service that veterans represent. No one knows the costs of reckless conflict better than our military community, and Tom’s service as a skilled diplomat and peace negotiator proves he has the national security judgement Virginia’s women and men in uniform deserve from their leaders. His opponent, on the other hand, voted twice for George W. Bush, whose administration had such disastrous consequences for women and men in uniform, and led to so much of the global instability we see today. As a fourth-generation veteran who was raised here in Virginia, I urge all Virginians to vote for Tom Perriello on June 13th.”

“I am so honored to have the support of Common Defense PAC, a grassroots group of veterans and military families dedicated to preserving the inclusive Virginia values they swore to defend while in uniform,” said Tom Perriello. “These brave men and women put their lives on the line for us – and have chosen to continue to serve by patriotically opposing Trump’s dangerous agenda here at home. As governor, I will stand with Virginia veterans and their families to keep the Commonwealth a firewall against Trump’s attacks on our most vulnerable communities.”

Tom Perriello’s policies demonstrate an impressive commitment and broad knowledge of the issues faced by veterans and their families, including targeted, concrete initiatives aimed at helping women veterans, assisting military families with obstacles to employment, and improving resources for student veterans at Virginia colleges and universities.

Common Defense was founded in 2016 as an effort to mobilize veterans and defeat Donald Trump, and has grown to more than 100,000 members nationwide, including thousands of members in Virginia. Common Defense serves as a voice for diverse, progressive veterans and military families who speak out on issues of social, economic, and environmental justice which affect all Americans.

Follow Common Defense on Facebook and Twitter.