One Loss, No Regrets, and Many Thanks

While the Miles Grant for Delegate campaign came up short at the polls on Primary Day, our successes will outlive one short election cycle. We ran the grassroots campaign we wanted to run, on the progressive issues we wanted to highlight, with a new team of experienced volunteers and political newcomers. And until Democrats take back the House of Delegates, we address our climate & energy crises, and Virginia grants marriage rights for all, we know our job isn’t done.

For now, I wanted to say thanks to everyone who helped along the way. I wish I could thank everyone here by name, but if you donated a single dollar, knocked on one door, or told one neighbor to vote for me, I’m incredibly grateful for your support.

There are three people I do want to single out. Quite simply, I couldn’t have done this without them:

• Lauren Uranga, campaign treasurer. Keeping the books doesn’t begin to describe Lauren’s contributions to our campaign. She organized events, designed every campaign handout and mailing, and coordinated all our print jobs. On good days or bad, Lauren also made sure to greet everyone with a smile, creating good will for the campaign and keeping volunteers coming back.
  
  
• Kip Malinosky, field director. If I didn’t count Kip as a friend, I would never have been able to run in the first place. He’s Arlington’s most dedicated canvasser and knocked on literally thousands of doors for the candidates he believed in this year.
  
  
• Josh Anderson, data director. Josh spent countless hours managing our voter lists, first cutting our canvassing turf and printing the lists, then entering the data gathered by our volunteers. I consider Josh to be a true rising star among Arlington campaign operatives. He’ll be an incredibly valuable asset to any progressive campaign he chooses to work for.

Major thanks go to all the canvassers who helped us on so many weekends through good weather and bad, especially Brian Devine, Chris Gill, Amaka Gossett, Greg Lee, Shawn Logue, Clare McIntyre, Matt Konjoian, David Pierpont, Alexandra Ritchie, and Daniel Weir. I also owe a debt of gratitude to people and groups like Jon Bowerbank, the Virginia Sierra Club, and the Virginia Partisans (especially Charley Conrad and Tiffany Joslyn) who were willing to take a chance on endorsing a first-time candidate.

Finally, thanks to my fellow bloggers like Ben Tribbett of Not Larry Sabato and Lowell Feld of Blue Virginia, who’ve stood behind me from the very beginning. I may not be a candidate anymore, but I’m looking forward to having time to be The Green Miles again.

Thank you again for all your support!

Miles Grant for Delegate: Bringing Arlington Values to Richmond

I hope to earn your vote tomorrow. You can learn more about my campaign for House of Delegates at MilesGrant2009.com!

Like Business as Usual in Richmond? Don't Vote for Miles Grant

Here's another one for the list of endorsements I'm proud not to get. The Arlington Sun Gazette apparently judges candidates on a version of the Dr. J. Evans Pritchard scale from Dead Poets Society, on which the X-axis is "willingness to suck up to Richmond" and the Y-axis is "fitting the Sun Gazette's conservative editor's definition of a Serious Political Candidate."

Here's how I scored:

Despite having the support of some on the environmental left and the blogging crowd, Miles Grant is seen by others as a political dilettante whose policy positions and attitude just won’t work down in Richmond.

So I score high on environmental activism ... very progressive ... and extensive work online and offline working to elect Democrats in Virgina. But unfortunately for me, those aren't on the scale!

What does matter on the Sun Gazette's scale? That I'm low on willingness to suck up to the Richmond establishment. That my strong suits -- advocating for a new energy future, political savvy, engaging new voters -- don't fit the traditional definition of a politician. That I haven't spent years waiting for someone to tell me it was my turn to run. Grade: Fail!

While the Sun Gazette's conservative editor tries to pass off his insults as not his own with a cowardly reference to the criticism as "seen by others," you can hear his fears coming through loud and clear. We can't have loose cannons down in Richmond recklessly fighting for Arlington values! We need someone who'll support the status quo and not go crashing the gates by calling out inaction, injustice and corruption all the time! We need a delegate who'll go along to get along and not take a stand for what he really believes in.

As one Arlington political insider interpreted the editorial, "If you enthusiastically support what you've been getting from Richmond, don't take a chance on rocking the cruise ship."

I guess the Sun Gazette and I agree on something after all -- if you want change in Richmond, vote for Miles Grant.

Latest Campaign Mailing: Clean Energy & Climate Action

"You guys have money???"

That was the exclamation of one Virginia politico upon seeing our latest mailing to voters of Arlington's 47th district. Sometimes the insiders get a little too obsessed with raw fundraising totals and lose sight of the importance of managing the money you have. My campaign for House of Delegates is entirely volunteer managed and operated, so while some of the other contenders are raising more money but wasting much of it on consultants and office space, we put every dollar we've raised right into voter contact.

Here's our latest volunteer-designed mailing, focusing on clean energy & climate action:

MG09 Video: No Dominion Money Pledge

You can learn more about my No Dominion Money pledge at MilesGrant2009.com:

Size Matters: Standing Firm Against I66 Expansion

It took exactly three posts into my blogging at The Green Miles to make my feelings clear on I66: I'm against expanding it. Three years later, my position is unchanged -- our precious transportation dollars would be better spent on Metro and our existing roads and bridges, which remain in desperate need of maintenance funding. On top of that, Arlingtonians shouldn't have to pay the price in higher pollution to smooth (and encourage) commutes from distant sprawling suburbs.

It's important for Arlington's leaders to take a strong stand. Heavy pressure to capitulate comes from representatives of places like Fairfax and Prince William, both in Richmond and on Capitol Hill, who don't much care about more pollution in Arlington or a wider I66 crowding out adjacent trails -- those problems will impact Arlington, not them.

That's why in my run for House of Delegates, I'm being crystal clear about my position on I66. If the delegate from the 47th district won't stand up for Arlington, who will?

It's become a major issue in the Democratic primary race:

Video: Miles Grant on Virginia's Energy Policies

We shot this video at Potomac Overlook Regional Park, which has installed solar panels over its performance stage. Learn more about my run for House of Delegates and sign up for campaign email updates at MilesGrant2009.com!

MG09 Signs Rated Tops Among Keen Observers

Now that the Democratic primary for Virginia House of Delegates is fewer than 31 days away, Miles Grant for Delegate volunteers have put up signs on median strips across the 47th district. Given that I'm The Green Miles, we asked volunteers to be especially careful about not placing signs in parks or flower beds and planting signs deep so they wouldn't blow away.

Our signs got some nice recognition over at Blue Virginia:

I got an email about the quality (not quantity) of the signs from a ... let's call him a keen observer of Arlington Democratic politics.

Ranked by ease of visibility and clearness in telling us who the candidate is:

1. Miles Grant
2. Alan Howze
3. Andres Tobar
4. Adam Parkhomenko
5. Patrick Hope

If you live in Arlington and would like an MG09 yard sign, email us!

Exclusive Video: Inside the MG09 War Room

We host Thursday volunteer nights here at Miles Grant for Delegate Campaign Headquarters (a.k.a. my apartment). Here's a look at the craziness of a dozen people phone banking, entering data and assembling yard signs:

Something Tells Me I Won't Get This Endorsement

The candidate questionnaires are coming in at a rate of about one a day race for the Virginia House of Delegates here in Arlington's 47th district. Here's the first one I've gotten that I strongly disagree with.

It's from the National Right to Work Committee, which spends millions of dollars every year on anti-union activities. Most recently, it made headlines for trashing President Obama's Labor Secretary nominee, Hilda Solis.

Given that I'm pro-union, somehow I don't think I'll be getting this endorsement:

No Dominion Money.

If you're a regular reader of The Green Miles, you know my feelings on Dominion Virginia Power. Since 1996, Dominion has contributed more than $5 million to Virginia political candidates and committees.

Our reliance on increasingly expensive, dirty coal power is a failure to our community and a violation of Arlington values – economically, environmentally, and from a public health perspective. As an activist who’s spent years lobbying and organizing for clean energy and climate action here in Virginia, I’ve seen firsthand how Dominion’s huge financial power works to keep our energy policies locked into the status quo at a time when we desperately need a new direction.

That's why I've signed a pledge (PDF) not to accept contributions or gifts from Dominion or its employees:

April 29, 2009

As Virginia confronts the threat of climate change and our dependence on dirty, polluting energy sources, we need leaders who will think big and fight the special interests that block progress towards a clean energy future.

Dominion Virginian Power was the top business donor to Virginia politicians in 2008, contributing nearly twice as much as the runner-up, the tobacco company Altria. Their influence has gone unchallenged for years, allowing them to serve as the dominant force in policy decisions – consistently weighting the scales against clean energy and a cleaner Virginia. The stakes are too high to let that continue.

Therefore I, Miles Grant, Democratic candidate for House of Delegates in Virginia’s 47th district, pledge that I will not accept contributions or gifts from Dominion Resources, its subsidiaries or its employees, either as a candidate or as an elected official. If I ever mistakenly accept such a contribution, I pledge to give it to a clean energy or environmental nonprofit as soon as the error is discovered. I take this pledge not as a statement about Dominion's right to exist or its employees, but as a promise to consider only the public interest as we move Virginia's energy policies forward.

Miles Grant
Democrat for Delegate
Virginia’s 47th District in Arlington
MilesGrant2009.com

I know we can’t move Virginia’s energy policies into the 21st century without working to engage Dominion as a partner. I’m always happy to sit down and talk to Dominion. But I’m not interested in its financial backing.

Learn more about my campaign at MilesGrant2009.com.

Miles Grant for Delegate in 90 Seconds

Via Lowell at Blue Virginia, here's my opening statement from last night's candidate forum in race for the Democratic nomination for House of Delegates here in Arlington's 47th district:

Shad Planking Sign Wars: What a Waste

This is not a criticism of Terry McAuliffe or his campaign. This is a criticism of the Virginia political establishment that gives credit to the "winner" of the sign wars at the Shad Planking.

Why should a candidate get any favorable attention for lining the road to a single event with a reported 25,000 signs -- roughly 10 per attendee? It's not a show of force, it's a tone-deaf display of wastefulness and excess:



Can't we let candidates impress us with other things? Like, say, their positions on issues?

I'm certainly not claiming total innocence on this one -- my campaign for House of Delegates has ordered yard signs of its own. Our goal was to order just 500 yard signs (most shops have a 1,000-sign minimum and we have no use for that many) that were printed on recycled material (and were ultimately recyclable) and printed in a union shop. But we weren't able to find a shop that could meet all of our needs , so we had to settle for the smaller order printed in a union shop.

If you live in the 47th district and want Miles Grant for Delegate yard sign, email me! More MG09 schwag can be found at our CafePress store.

Scene from the Sidewalk: Sunset Over Westover

With a hat tip to Andrew Sullivan's The View from Your Window, I'll be posting some photos from around Arlington as I canvass neighborhoods during my campaign for House of Delegates. We'll call it Scene from the Sidewalk. (Get it? Scene/seen? It's the best I could do on short notice.)

Here's the view from Kensington & 11th, with Westover Baptist Church in the background:

It's All About the Green Jobs

Snagged this green construction helmet at PowerShift '09:

Coal Prices Catch Fire, Virginians Left in Cold

In the wake of Dominion Virginia Power’s 18 percent rate increase due to higher fuel costs, the Washington Post reported on Friday that this winter “the utility shut-off service to 93,890 customers for nonpayment, a 15 percent jump from 2007.” Last month, the Virginian-Pilot reported Dominion has added a 1.4 percent fee to all electricity bills to finance construction of its new $2 billion coal-fired power plant in Wise County.

It's outrageous that Virginians are losing their heat because they’re being asked to pick up the tab for our Commonwealth’s refusal to break – or even ease – our addiction to coal. Now Virginia faces a triple threat – our energy crisis is deepening our economic crisis while our climate crisis continues to go unaddressed.

Fortunately, the same solutions can take steps towards solving all three crises at the same time. We can save consumers money by making their homes more energy efficient, strengthen our economy by creating thousands of green jobs, and preserve our environment for our children and grandchildren by cutting Virginia's global warming pollution.

Our leaders in Richmond need to give Dominion new incentives to begin the shift away from coal and towards renewable energy sources like solar and wind power. We’ll need bold action from Virginia's new governor and our next General Assembly to chart a new course towards clean energy. I’ll fight to make that happen.

Learn more about my campaign for House of Delegates at MilesGrant2009.com.

March 12: Greens for Grant

RSVP now at ActBlue!

Miles Grant Endorsed by Vote Energy Smart

The Vote Energy Smart, not Energy Dumb campaign has endorsed me for the Virginia House of Delegates. Please take a minute to read the full endorsement list at DailyKos and recommend the diary.

What makes me especially proud are these words from Energy Smart's A Siegel:

Let's be honest, anyone who tracks our interactions in the blogosphere will know that we don't always agree and actually had some pretty strong confrontations in regards to the Lieberman-Warner Coal Subsidy Act. But, this is disagreement between the passionate and knowledgeable, arguing over approaches to solving our problems -- not over whether there is a problem to be solved and not over desired end states. Miles would be a knowledgeable and passionable Energy Smart delegate ... in a state that needs a lot more Energy Smarts in its political leadership.

When someone who's had strong disagreements with you still respects you enough to endorse you, you know you're doing something right.

Monday: Campaign Kickoff & Farewell to RK

We're planning a big kickoff party on Monday for my campaign for the House of Delegates in the 47th district. And given that RaisingKaine.com is toast at the end of 2008, we thought it was about time for an in-person toast the people who made it possible.

Please join us as we say Farewell to RK and pay tribute to Lowell and Eric for their years of hard work helping turn Virginia blue:

• Monday, December 15, 6-8pm
• Piola Restaurant, 1550 Wilson Blvd, Arlington (near Rosslyn Metro)
• Complimentary food and happy hour specials at private bar included with contribution
• Reserve tickets now at ActBlue

The event will be hosted by Not Larry Sabato's Ben Tribbett and proceeds will go to Miles Grant for Delegate. Email us with any questions!

Why Wait Till June? Vote Miles Grant for Delegate Now.

Quick heads up, RK is taking a poll on whether to endorse The Green Miles in the House of Delegates race in the 47th district. If you're a registered RK user, please vote now! The poll is on the left side.