Aug 14, 2009  |  By: Jeff Marootian  | COMMENTS     

WITH DEMOCRATS IN control of Congress and the White House, it is difficult to exude enthusiasm about a congressional race in a heavily Democratic district. The greater Bay Area and Sacramento suburbs that make up the 10th Congressional District in California seem safe from conservatives. Yet, recent history in California and current discourse in Washington around issues such as health care suggest that there is a need for more progressive energy and diversity of thought and life experience. 

Residents of California’s 10th Congressional District have a rare and exciting opportunity to send that progress to Washington by electing Anthony Woods to Congress this September. Woods, who is not a career politician or political operative, is proving that he has what it takes to be an effective and impressive voice on a diverse array of issues. 

Woods would join just two other open gay men and one lesbian now in Congress. Moreover, Woods would bring considerable diversity as a veteran and a young African American. I had the great opportunity to meet Woods last month and was genuinely compelled by his mastery of the issues, his honesty and his commitment to principle. 

WOODS IS AMONG a rising class of America’s next generation of leaders.  Educated at West Point and Harvard, he is a former captain in the U.S. Army who served tours of duty in Iraq and received the Bronze Star. In Iraq, he oversaw 81 men, all of whom returned home safe and sound. After returning from serving his country, he faced firsthand the discrimination of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and was honorably discharged for coming out. 

Truly there could be no better advocate in the fight for equality on the Hill on this and so many other important social issues. It is fitting that he would replace Rep. Ellen Tauscher, who introduced legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”  

His military leadership would bring additional credibility to the Democratic Party on the issues of national defense, and a welcome young veteran’s perspective to the House Armed Services Committee if he were to replace Tauscher as a member. He would be a new, informed voice in the discourse about war, security and public safety. 

IT IS UNSURPRISING that with such an accomplished life and dedicated campaign he has been endorsed by VoteVets.org, the Victory Fund and the Human Rights Campaign. Most striking about Woods though are the more common elements of his life that connect him to disparate communities across his district and the country. Woods was born to a single mother of very modest means, one of the 46 million without health insurance. It wasn’t until he joined the Army at age 18 that he was provided with health insurance for the first time. This is why Woods has placed health care at the center of his campaign.

He also is apt to point out that the higher education system in the U.S., even with the new GI Bill, is still out of reach for far too many. As he told me at a recent event, “My family couldn’t even afford health care, so college tuition was unthinkable.” His campaign launched a “Service to College” proposal to offer solutions to help young people who serve the country in both military and non-military pursuits pay for college.  

We have few opportunities to elect candidates like Anthony Woods. He is a rare candidate running in a unique period in American history. His election would be a tremendous step forward for California and for the country, and an assurance to further progress on the issues so significant to us all.

I plan to hear more from him on Aug. 17 at an event in Washington before his Sept. 1 primary and encourage others to hear about how they can help bring a meaningful change to Congress.