Institute forum set for 5th District congressional candidates

By Bernard Baker

Published: August 23, 2008

U.S. Rep. Virgil Goode, R-5th, and Democratic challenger Tom Perriello will take part in a congressional issues forum Sept. 3 at the Institute for Advanced Learning & Research.

The event is co-sponsored by the Danville Register & Bee and the Sorenson Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia. It will run from 7:30 to 9 p.m.

“The candidates agreed to a congressional issues forum rather than a debate,” said Bob Gibson, the Sorenson Institute’s executive director.

Gibson worked with both campaigns to come up with four issues important to voters in this area. The topics are economic development, energy, national security and immigration, and it took about a month to agree on the format. Gibson, along with former Danville Mayor E. Linwood Wright, will develop a list of questions to ask the candidates.

Wright said they’ve come up with questions the candidates probably have not heard “up and down the street.”

“We’ve got some pretty darn good questions and hopefully, we’ll get some straight answers,” he said.

No questions will be taken from the audience, Gibson said.

He said the forum is a part of the Sorensen Institute’s Southside Leadership Series. Former U.S. Attorney John Brownlee was here in June and former state legislator and Transportation Secretary Whitt Clement will speak Oct. 9.

“We just want to encourage people to come out,” Gibson said.

Register & Bee Publisher Steve Kaylor said one of the reasons the newspaper is involved is because of the quality programs offered by the Sorenson Institute.

“We wanted to be a part of that,” he said.

Kaylor said the more people are exposed to these candidates, the better choice they can make in November. Jessica Barba, spokeswoman for Perriello, said the campaign is gearing up for this forum and other debates.

“We’re looking forward to debating Congressman Goode as often as possible so voters can make an informed decision about the choice ahead of them in November,” Barba said.

Contact Bernard Baker at or (434) 791-7986.