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A candidate you need to know: Aaron Ringel
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Courtesy of Aaron Ringel for delegate.
Aaron Ringel is currently running to represent the 48th district in the Virginia House of Delegates. A tremendous patriot, enthusiastic campaigner, gifted speaker, and fiscal conservative, Mr. Ringel is running because he believes the government does not embody what he wants for his home of Arlington.
In his campaign he has noted the displeasure of the voters he speaks with and that they are concerned about a number of important issues in this election cycle. He cites that Arlington County is considering raising property taxes again and many are worried that they won’t be able to afford their mortgages this year. As Mr. Ringel puts it, "This is not the government that I want."
Mr. Ringel proudly served in the United States Marine Corps Reserves for six years. His service included a stint in Iraq where he served as an Arab Linguist in Al-Anabar province. After completing his military service he went on to work for Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) on Capitol Hill while simultaneously earning a Master’s Degree in U.S. Foreign Policy from American University. Aaron has worked on number of important legislative issues including but not limited to transportation, veterans affairs, the environment, national defense, and education. He currently works for a defense contractor.
Now he’s hoping to use the leadership skills and life experiences he acquired in the military and on Capitol Hill to be the next delegate for the 48th.
Mr. Ringel is attempting to unseat incumbent Democrat Bob Brink. The past two election cycles he has run unopposed and has never received less than 58% of the vote since he was first elected in 1998. Mr. Ringel points out that while he lives in Arlington fulltime Del. Brink spends most of his time in Richmond or out of state, taking little time to learn his constituency.
"He’s taking Arlington for granted," Mr. Ringel says. "This is a very transitory community and those voters really don’t know him; they don’t know what he stands for."
Mr. Ringel also says that he’s putting in the necessary time to build support more so than his opponent, "Honestly I might as well be running in an open seat. Nobody knows who he is because he hasn’t taken the time to reach out to voters. Every person I talk to, the first thing they mention are things like transportation, taxes, the economy. The second thing they say is ‘who is my delegate?’"
Arlington County is no hotbed for Republicans at any level of office. Only Dave Foster, who attempted an ill-fated run for state Attorney General this year, has served in any post in Arlington in the past few years. He was last elected to the School Board in 2003. However Mr. Ringel sees an opening, "This is a place where a grassroots campaign can work." He also claims that holding every elected office in Arlington is a negative, "People are not happy with one party rule. When the County Board rules against you who do you turn to?"
Mr. Ringel accuses his opponent of a laissez faire approach to campaigning, "The Arlington Democrats have sent all their people to other counties to fight. He [Del. Brink] hasn’t started his campaign yet. He’s relying on the Deeds campaign to carry his water here in Arlington."
Meanwhile, Mr. Ringel has been knocking on doors of voters from every political persuasion. He spends every chance he gets at the Metro and on the streets talking to people about his ideas and solutions.
One of the wedge issues this election cycle for the 48th is the same contentious issue that it has been for decades, expanding Route 66. Mr. Ringel strongly supports the widening of Route 66 inside the beltway while Del. Brink does not.
"We need an engaged leader in Richmond who will actually stand up for Arlington," explained Mr. Ringel. "All of the gubernatorial candidates, the congressional delegation, and our senators have all said they want to expand [Route] 66. If we continue to stand on the sidelines and do it their way then we’re not going to have a voice…Transportation is the clutch issue this year because everyone is suffering under it."
In somewhat of a surprise endorsement, the Washington Post threw their support behind Mr. Ringel, citing the Route 66 issue:
Mr. Brink is a competent legislator but he has opposed widening Interstate 66. That wins points with some homeowners who'd be directly affected but does little for the tens of thousands of commuters who suffer that road daily. Mr. Ringel takes a broader regional view of that issue."
The task to defeat a six term incumbent is daunting. Mr. Ringel has been outraised nearly 4 to 1 and Del. Brink has not shown any signs of desperation or urgency in his campaign and appears to be assuming that he will coast to another victory.
Mr. Ringel is more than aware of this, "From the beginning of the campaign it’s been an uphill endeavor running against a twelve year incumbent that sits on appropriations and transportation [committees]. The more I’ve gotten out and talked with voters the more positive responses I’ve gotten and the less it feels to me like a climb. It’s more like a descent now."
Whether out of arrogance or confidence Del. Brink earlier this year expressed hope for a challenger. One thing is for certain, on November 3rd he will either be popping champagne bottles or eating crow. Mr. Ringel has shown a toughness and sensibility that may prove him a formidable opponent. According to the challenger, "He’s out of touch with what his voters are really concerned about and I’m addressing them with real solutions."
With Bob McDonnell, Bill Bolling, and Ken Cuccinelli all surging in the polls it looks more and more like a GOP sweep at the top of the ticket is on the horizon. If Del. Brink is in fact counting on the constantly fumbling Creigh Deeds to win this election for him, he might be in for a rude awakening.
The GOP base is fired up and the Democratic base is indifferent and uninspired. Also, the Democratic turnout will not equal that of the 2008 election with President Obama missing from the ballot.
It’s obvious that Aaron Ringel is putting in the time to get to know the people of Arlington. The more people that he meets the more support he builds. Those people might indeed be ready for a change. It also remains to be seen how far the Washington Post endorsement will go. In a progressive area like Arlington the Post has an incredible amount of pull. Although the election is coming very soon, in a close race it could have a serious impact.
In what most certainly will be a great year to be a Republican in Virginia, it is entirely possible that Del. Brink may be soon dining on that crow sandwich. But if he does taste champagne then at least Arlington now has a different voice and a new leader with a bright future in Aaron Ringel.
To learn more about Aaron Ringel, please visit http://www.ringelfordelegate.com
If you like this then read 48th district delegate candidate Aaron Ringel releases new ad
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