ELECTION 2020: Henry County voters must head online or out of town to meet 5th District Congressional candidates Good and Webb – Martinsville Bulletin

Neither Republican Bob Good nor Democrat Dr. Cameron Webb have any upcoming, in-person events scheduled in Henry County, which is split between the 9th and 5th House districts. However, members of the public can tune in to a virtual debate that will take place via Zoom  at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Viewers’ microphones and video will be muted, but they will be able to submit questions for the candidates via Zoom chat during the event. The forum is hosted by the non-partisan group Senior Statesmen of Virginia. Participants must register at http://bit.ly/VA05Forum; the registration link is also available on the group’s website at seniorstatesmen.org.

Meanwhile, the two candidates, who are vying to replace R. Denver Riggleman (R-Charlottesville), who was defeated by Good in a drive-thru convention vote, seem to be taking different approaches to in-person campaigning during the pandemic.

For local residents who don’t mind a road trip, Good is holding a series of outdoor rallies for law enforcement in eight localities, including Bedford, Pittsylvania and Halifax counties, starting Tuesday, as well as a “Back the Blue” free concert in Bedford on Saturday.

“It is imperative that our law enforcement officers have access to the best tools and technology available as well as the support of our elected officials,” Good stated in a news release.

The group “Women for Good” is also finalizing plans for rallies aimed at female voters, although dates have not been set, campaign representatives said.

“Our overall goal is to encourage women to use their voice for ‘Good’ and get out the vote,” Good scheduler Courtney Heath wrote in an email. “We will be encouraging voter registration training, door knocking and gathering other women to do the same. It is a group effort!”

In terms of health precautions at these events, “We are doing our best to abide by local ordinances,” Heath said. “Masks are recommended but not mandatory. Social distancing is encouraged.”

On the other hand, Webb, a practicing physician who treats COVID-19 patients, is limiting campaign gatherings and door knocking in favor of other forms of outreach to minimize potential spread of the virus. He has not completely eliminated in-person events from his schedule — recently speaking at an outdoor event in Danville — but has cut them back significantly.

“For me, what matters first and foremost is the safety of the folks in this district,” Webb said in a phone interview. “I’ve seen up close and personal how this pandemic looks, and I refuse to be a part of spreading it. What that looks like is we limit our in-person events, but we do a lot virtually.

“We do a lot over the phone, and we find other ways to connect with voters. I’m not going to put politics over people’s health.”

Instead, Webb’s campaign is planning a series of regionally focused virtual town halls, including one specifically for Henry County, leading up to Election Day. Details such as dates are still being finalized. These events will also allow people to participate via phone, because “we recognize we have a huge problem with rural broadband access in this district,” Webb said.

Webb has also been giving weekly COVID-19 updates using Facebook Live. His 9-year-old daughter, Avery, was inspired by these to host some “Kids’ Town Halls” of her own, he added. Most recently, he and Avery spoke with a pediatrician and education leader over Facebook Live on Saturday about what to expect when many Virginia schools start virtually on Tuesday.

As for local outreach, campaign spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said the Webb campaign has a field organizer dedicated to Henry County and the surrounding area. More than 4,000 calls and texts have gone out to county voters so far. They also plan to roll out “contactless canvassing” in the area in the next few weeks, where canvassers leave information at people’s homes without any interpersonal contact.

As for Good, “we have had a few private events in Henry County and do not currently have any public events on the schedule at this time. We will be sure to keep the people informed,” Heath said.

In the meantime, she said, “We plan to continue reaching voters through traditional means of media and mail. Thankfully, we have an enthusiastic group of volunteers and supporters in the area that are always ready to help!”