Jackson Miller: ‘…we have been able to give our teachers well-deserved pay raises…and increase school funding by over $855 per student, per year, over the past five years’

After serving as Virginia House Majority Whip since 2012, Jackson Miller is running for reelection to the 50th House Seat serving Manassas and part of Prince William County.

Miller is running against first-time candidate Lee Carter, a Democrat.

In 2015, Miller won the office by nearly 20 points.

This election season, we’re asked candidates who wish to reach our readers a “why you should vote for me” email by Oct. 27, 2017. 

Miller sent us this email: 

In today’s political climate, it is easy to forget that most elected officials do not reside in Washington D.C. It is even easier to forget that these elected officials are often your friends and neighbors—people who have answered the call of service without the expectation of power or prestige. These men and women oversee our schools, enforce our laws, and establish budgets for our local governmental bodies. In other words, they work to ensure your state and local government is working for you.

On November 7, many of us will be up for re-election. While I can’t speak for everyone on the ballot, I know that representing the 50th district for the past ten 11 years has been one of the greatest honors of my life. With your support, we have been able to give our teachers well-deserved pay raises, construct veteran care facilities, and increase school funding by over $855 per student, per year, over the past five years. We have expanded in-state enrollment at our state universities, increased penalties for violent crimes, and passed six balanced budgets while maintaining one of the lowest tax burdens in the country.

But all of this would never have been possible without a community like ours. As a former Prince William County police officer, I’ve seen our community in its toughest times. I’ve seen the impact that crises like the opioid epidemic have had on families and communities. But most importantly, I’ve seen the positive impact strong local leadership can have in addressing these issues.

With your support, I promise that I will continue to lead our community on all of these fronts. I will continue to pass legislation that punishes those seeking to exploit vulnerable members of our community while ensuring the victims of such crimes have access to the medical assistance they need. I will continue fighting to ensure our students have the resources they need to excel and the access to higher education necessary to succeed. And most importantly, I will continue fighting to protect those “unalienable Rights” declared by our founding fathers and enshrined in our Constitution.

For those planning to support me, I thank you in advance for your vote of confidence. For those who may not, please know that my door is always open. For as Jefferson stated in his first inaugural address, “every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle.” And as Reagan oft-reminded us, “the person who agrees with you 80 percent of the time is a friend and an ally—not a 20 percent traitor.”

At Potomac Local, we will never tell you for whom to vote for but if you have strong feelings toward a candidate and want to tell our readers who to vote for, you may submit your post for publication.