Letter to the Editor: From Dave Kennedy to Rep. Don Beyer, 'Fill This Empty Chair!'

By Dave Kennedy, Independent for Congress

The debate chair meant for Rep. Don Beyer sits sad, lonely, and empty… waiting to be filled. While Don’s chair remains vacant, I regularly phone his assistant requesting that he engage in discussions crucial to the people of Northern Virginia. Yet, the incumbent remains silent.

I secured my spot on the ballot back in April, collecting over 1,000 signatures from registered voters across Virginia’s 8th Congressional District (VA-08), which includes Arlington County, Falls Church City, Alexandria City, and parts of Fairfax County. Since then, I spend almost all my time meeting everyday folks, listening to their concerns, and sharing my platform — which addresses quality-of-life issues such as safe streets, affordable housing, and a woman’s right to choose.

Of course, I also want to discuss the issues with Don, but the frustration mounts as Don’s “empty chair” has become a metaphor for his absence from the debate stage. In the past three weeks alone, a forum sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the Fairfax Area was canceled, a Coalition for Action / Fairfax County NAACP event was postponed, and I have been denied my request for debates on three separate calls. In one case, his assistant commented, “Don sees no need to engage in any additional candidate forums.”

The lone event where all four congressional candidates participated was a brief 30-minute forum hosted by the Arlington County Civic Federation on September 3. According to my wife, recognizing she may not be a fully impartial source, I gave an impressive performance (see 1:13:10 of the video at: https://vimeo.com/1006600841). Still, it remains unclear why Don continues to avoid requests for debates with me and the other two challengers Jerry Torres (Republican) and Bentley Hensel (Independent). 

However, the reason may be simple: Don, like many incumbents in non-competitive districts, has little incentive to debate and allow the voters to see the candidates side-by-side. In a political landscape where only around 60 out of 435 Congressional districts are considered competitive, candidates in “safe” districts often coast to reelection without needing to engage in substantive debate or defend their records. Virginia’s 8th District is one of these non-competitive districts, and Don’s empty debate chair is a stark symbol of this political reality.

However, I refuse to accept the status quo and am determined to hold Don accountable to the voters. My challenge to Don is direct: “Fill this Empty Chair!” I believe the people of Northern Virginia deserve a democracy envisioned by our founders, not the version created by mega political parties and comfortable incumbents. That is, a democracy in which elected officials engage with their constituents, not one defined by political convenience or complacency.

My message isn’t just for VA-08 — it’s for all of America: We can do better, and we can start by filling all of the empty debate chairs… And when we do, the candidates will be accountable to the people, just as the founders and the Constitution envisioned.

For a recent article on the VA-08 race, see WAMU.org: https://wamu.org/story/24/09/23/virginia-8th-congressional-district-2024-beyer-torres-kennedy/

About Dave Kennedy:

Dave Kennedy is an Arlington, Virginia resident with a background in social justice ministry and higher education advocacy. He holds degrees from Lehigh University, the University of Chicago, and most recently, Wesley Theological Seminary. Dave is running as an Independent candidate in the 8th Congressional District of Northern Virginia.

For more information about Dave Kennedy and his campaign, please visit www.DaveKennedy2024.com, email dave@davekennedy2024.com, or call (847) 687-7952 or (571) 675-8130.

Editor's Note: Views and opinions expressed in Letters-to-the-Editor of The Falls Church Independent do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor. The Falls Church Independent welcomes views, opinion, notices, listings, articles, and advertisements from the public. Send yours to chris@fallschurchindependent.com.