Republican Virginia Senate candidate forum held in Appomattox

Two of the five Republican candidates for a Virginia seat in the U.S. Senate were present at a political forum held this afternoon at the Appomattox Community Center in Appomattox.

The participating candidates were Jonathan Emord and Scott Parkinson. Chuck Smith was originally scheduled to appear but was unable to attend.

The event was hosted by the Appomattox County Republican Committee.

The candidates are vying for the Republican bid in the upcoming June 18 primary in order to oppose current Democrat Senator Tim Kaine in the November 5th general election.

Moderating the forum were Paul Raymond, pastor of Reformed Bible Church in Appomattox, and Robert DiLorenzo, attorney from Wyoming.

Emord and Parkinson were asked to remark on a variety of topics during the forum that lasted approximately two-and-a-half hours -- inflation, illegal immigration, abortion, national security, gun rights, freedom of speech, funding of foreign wars, China, military veterans benefits, national debt, antisemitic protests, crime rates, gender issues, bureaucratic power, corruption in the justice system, and more.

Both candidates expressed concern about the direction of the United States under the Biden Administration and Democrat Party leadership in general, taking aim at Sen. Kaine as being part of the problem.

Parkinson described Kaine as a "career politician" who is out of touch with the people. Parkinson is in favor of term limits and limited government.

Emord, who served as a federal attorney under the Ronald Reagan Administration, referred to Kaine, a former lawyer, as a "lame lawyer" who needs to be challenged on the issues.

Both candidates spoke about the need to unite the Republican Party in Virginia and energize the voter base, reaching out to moderate and independent voters who feel that the Democrat Party has swung too far to the radical left.

For more detailed coverage, see the upcoming May 8 edition of the Times Virginian.

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