Cooperative Living February 2014 - 37

The Governor and First Lady enjoyed
traveling throughout the Commonwealth
meeting thousands of people from all
walks of life.
The McAuliffes understand the
importance of agriculture and
electric cooperatives to rural areas
and communities across Virginia.
When they aren't involved with sporting,
school or political events, the
McAuliffe family likes to spend time hiking
and going to movies. Smiling, the
Governor comments on this, saying,
" There is nothing like getting a big tub of
popcorn and enjoying a movie with the
entire family. We may even get some extra
candy if their mother approves. " Another
event that the family recently enjoyed was
the Army/Navy football game. According
to the Governor, " These young men and
women put it on the line for us and the
atmosphere at the game was incredible. "
The First Lady says she is committed
to supporting the Governor and his
vision for helping Virginia continue to
move forward. One area of special interest
for her is helping communities with food
insecurity. " The agricultural legacy is an
amazing part of Virginia and we need to
keep it vibrant. We need to work with the
rural communities and farmers to give
more people access to fresh fruits and
vegetables. Finding ways to reduce
hunger and help people eat healthily is
something I'm passionate about, " said
Mrs. McAuliffe. " With the demand on
food banks rising, we need to continue to
increase our support. "
Before his gubernatorial campaign,
McAuliffe was very involved with
fundraising activities for every
Democratic presidential candidate since
February 2014/www.co-opliving.com
Jimmy Carter, and has been involved in
the creation and growth of many companies
throughout his career. McAuliffe
first decided to run for office himself
when he ran for Governor of Virginia in
2009. " My many experiences, including
losing the Democratic nomination for
the 2009 Governor's race, have prepared
me for this moment. Even though I was
disappointed, I dusted myself off the
next morning and started working
towards 2013. " Now in office, his top
priority is making Virginia's economy
stronger now and for years to come.
" I believe I can use my business experience
to help Virginia's economy grow
and diversify, " he said. " We have some
serious issues we need to address that
include broadband access, transportation,
and education in rural areas.
Finding solutions to these tough issues
is what gets me going. "
McAuliffe's favorite part of the campaign
was traveling across the state
meeting people in each region of the
Commonwealth. " I attended so many
great events throughout the state and
met thousands of Virginians. This is a
great state with such diverse regions
from Southside, to Southwest, to
Northern Virginia, to Hampton Roads,
to the Eastern Shore. I heard from people
who are really hurting and looking
for answers. The passion you feel for
these folks keeps you going and that's
who we need to think about when we
have to make decisions. "
These visits throughout Virginia reinforced
the Governor's view that electric
cooperatives play an important role in
the communities they serve. He is familiar
with the cooperative business model
and appreciates the role co-ops play in
bringing electricity to rural Virginia. He
points out, " Historically, we couldn't
have gotten power to many rural communities
without cooperatives. I have
always been a big supporter of the
cooperatives and will continue to be as
Governor. We need to be efficient and
cost effective with our energy, and cooperatives
play a critical role in bringing
electricity to rural Virginia and representing
the communities they serve. "
The Governor is also focused on
working with members of both parties
to get things done. " Voters are sick and
tired of partisan politics and they want
results. We need to be productive and
get things done to benefit all Virginians.
We need to create more jobs, diversify
our economy, enhance economic
development and improve education
and mental health reform, " the
Governor commented at the end of the
interview.
" It's not about Democrat and
Republican. It's about Virginia. " 
35
Cooperative Living February 2014

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