Chair’s Corner | Virginia Beach Democratic Committee
What an extraordinary community we have built!
At our United We Vote CommUNITY Celebration, I was reminded of something powerful: democracy is not sustained by institutions alone. It is sustained by people who care enough to show up.
To our incredible volunteers, our extraordinary slate of City Council and School Board candidates, and our special guests Elaine Luria and former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu — thank you for making the evening such a wonderful celebration of community, service, and shared purpose.
But my greatest appreciation belongs to YOU.
The people who knock doors, make calls, put up signs, greet voters, organize neighborhoods, and sacrifice evenings and weekends because you believe in something bigger than yourselves.
You are the heart of this committee. You are the strength of this community. And you are democracy in action.
I want you to remember something as we enter these final days before November 3.
Restoring our Republic is already underway. But democracy, like any muscle, grows stronger only when we exercise it.
Think about starting a new workout. The first few sessions leave you sore, tired, and sometimes wondering whether all that effort is worth it. But you get up. You put one foot in front of the other. You do the work again.
And eventually, something changes. You grow stronger. You find your rhythm. You begin to see the rewards of your effort. And you discover that the work itself has made you better.
That's where we are today.
The next days through the election will not be easy. There will be long hours, tired feet, difficult conversations, and moments of frustration. But every door knocked, every voter reached, and every neighbor encouraged brings us closer to the future we are working to build.
And look at the candidates standing alongside us! These are extraordinary neighbors who have stepped forward to serve our city, strengthen our schools, defend our communities, and restore accountability to local government. They have earned our energy, our confidence, and our commitment.
We also have another incredible opportunity ahead! Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries will join Elaine Luria in Virginia Beach on Saturday, October 31, for a GOTV Rally. Let's show them the strength and spirit of our Virginia Beach community!
RSVP HERE — Hakeem Jeffries and Elaine Luria GOTV Rally
As we approach Election Day, I ask each of you to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Encourage a fellow volunteer. Lift up a candidate. Bring a neighbor into the process. And take care of one another along the way.
Because November 3 is not the finish line.
Winning elections creates opportunity. What we do with that opportunity is what matters.
The real work is returning accountability to our government and society, investing in our neighborhoods, schools and ourselves, strengthening our communities, and delivering on the American Promise for the generations that follow us.
The American Promise was never meant to be something we simply inherit. It is something each generation must renew.
And that renewal is happening right here, through each of you.
Whatever the coming days bring, I hope you recognize how much we have already accomplished together and how much stronger this community has become because of your commitment.
I am profoundly grateful for what you have done, enormously proud of the people we stand beside, and inspired by what we are about to accomplish.
One foot in front of the other. One neighbor at a time. One community moving forward together.
Let's finish the ballot. Let's finish strong. And let's get ready for the work that comes next.
With gratitude, pride, and determination,
Sean Monteiro
Chair, Virginia Beach Democratic Committee