Kai Degner for City Council

Archive for the ‘Campaign Journal’ Category

Dear Supporters,

Tuesday, November 4, was an amazing day for the country.  It was an honor to be part of a campaign season where Mark Warner and Barack Obama took the national spotlight, and Sam Rasoul caught the imagination of so many in the region.  The larger campaigns got their deserved attention, and forced a slate of local city council candidates to pierce through that conversation and discuss local issues and priorities.

With help from hundreds of supporters, I am honored to have received enough votes to be one of the three elected city councilors.  If that weren’t special enough, this campaign received more votes than any of the seven other quality candidates - and did so by winning every Harrisonburg precinct.

I’m most excited that this resounding result helps legitimize the central message of our campaign: there is opportunity for more people to more meaningfully engage in shaping the future of Harrisonburg.  Moving forward, we all have a role to play in making this a reality.  While this was certainly a “Democratic Year”, I’m fully convinced that the core strengths and messages of this campaign transcend any party politics.  Smart growth, participatory democracy, and respectful listening are ideals shared by Harrisonburg residents regardless of party, creed, or any other aspect of the diversity that adds strength and vitality to our wonderful community.

I congratulate every candidate in the race.  One of the charms of Harrisonburg is the tight-knit community we have, which can unfortunately result in local elections that have respected friends and colleagues vying for the same few seats.  I know Mayor Eagle will join other candidates in continuing to meaningfully contribute to Harrisonburg.  Councilman Chenault’s accessibility, responsiveness, and thoughtfulness - not to mention his dedicated support of downtown revitalization, bicycle-pedestrian lanes, public safety and more - is a model for me moving forward.

Special congratulations go to Richard Baugh and Dave Wiens for also winning seats on council.  I look forward to working with them, Ted Byrd, and Carolyn Frank on the next council.

Lastly, I want to again thank each and every person who had a role in helping this campaign start from nothing in June, to end as top “vote-getter” five months later.  Mary Slade led the way to organize a stellar group of volunteers who helped with canvassing, house parties, websites, graphic design, videos, radio ads, fundraising, reporting, and so much more.  It was a community effort, and every conversation literally made a difference.

Your support is humbling and motivating.  I’m excited for what the future holds, and excited to partner with you.

Thank you,

Councilman-Elect Kai Degner

Over 6,000 people cast their votes in Harrisonburg for our campaign yesterday, giving me the highest vote total for Harrisonburg City Council.  I’m thrilled and humbled by the support, and proud to have received the top votes in every precinct!   Harrisonburg clearly favored our message of smart growth, open government, and fresh ideas.

I congratulate every candidate in the race.  One of the charms of Harrisonburg is the tight-knit community we have, which can unfortunately result in local elections that have respected friends and colleagues vying for the same few seats.  I know Mayor Eagle will continue to meaningfully contribute to Harrisonburg.  Councilman Chenault’s accessibility, responsiveness, and thoughtfulness - not to mention his dedicated support of downtown revitalization, bicycle-pedestrian lanes, public safety and more - is a model for me moving forward.

Special congratulations go to Richard Baugh and Dave Wiens for also winning seats on council.  I look forward to working with them, Ted Byrd, and Carolyn Frank on the next council.

Lastly, thank you to everyone for their engaged support of my campaign.  The support was broad and dedicated, and there are hundreds of people who were advocating for this result.  Your involvement made a difference.  Your continued involvement now is necessary moving forward.

The VA State Board of Elections will post election results after polls close on this webpage.

Thanks to so many of you for your support!  With it, I think our campaign is poised for a great chance on Election Day as Harrisonburg voters choose their next city council.  The last five months of campaigning was humbling and motivating - and I believe the widespread support is indicative of Harrisonburg being ready for fresh ideas, more participatory democracy, and smarter growth.

With your votes tomorrow, our campaign will be successful.  Please vote!

Kai is hosting an open house for all supporters, volunteers, donors, and others interested in learning more about his campaign for Harrisonburg City Council.  Join us on Saturday, Oct 25, from 6-9pm at The Little Grill Collective, for a signature Down Home Meal!
 
Chicken, Veggie Ribs, Collards, Squash, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Dessert!  This is Kai’s last big event of the campaign - come on out!  The event is free, and donations of $15 are encouraged to cover meal and labor costs - a small fee for the healthy meal and great company!
 
This event is 10 days before Election Day, so it’s perfectly timed to plug in to the campaign, learn how you can contribute to the final push, hear directly from Kai on the issues, and have your own questions answered.  Please extend special invitations to people Kai has not yet had the opportunity to meet!  Every single vote will count in this important election.
 
Whether you can come or not, please visit and promote www.WhyKai.com and www.KaiDegner.com.  Watch the new video and radio ads!

A new website exists for Kai’s campaign! 
Visit www.WhyKai.com