On Saturday, February 7th I woke up early for a long and ultimately very rewarding day. It began with my wife and I attending the Women’s Caucus Breakfast - where I was an event sponsor. This event is particularly memorable to me because at last year’s event I began to formally introduce my candidacy for Lt. Governor and I specifically remember that Ms. Betty Coll from Falls Church sat at my table in ’08 and she may well have been the first person outside of my immediate inner circle that I told personally of my intentions.

Augusta Free Press

February 9, 2009

Forty Democratic Party leaders and elected officials on Saturday announced their endorsement of Jon Bowerbank for Lieutenant Governor. This large showing of support is reflective of the campaign’s rapidly growing momentum as Jon continues to travel around the Commonwealth meeting with voters.

“As a person who deals every day with the financial challenges facing our local governments, I know the importance of having a leader who knows how to run a business and balance the books. Jon Bowerbank has run an extremely successful business for twenty years. He knows how to create jobs with good pay and craft a common sense budget, and he is the best person to get Virginia’s economy back on track,” said F.D. “Frankie” Edmondson, Portsmouth City Commissioner of Revenue.

“There is no candidate more qualified for Lieutenant Governor than Jon Bowerbank. Jon’s business experience and expertise in the energy sector are unparalleled, and that’s exactly the experience and expertise that we need in Virginia’s government. If we want a Democrat in the Lieutenant Governor’s office come November, we need Jon Bowerbank as our candidate,” said Delegate Bud Phillips.

This past week I have put more and more miles on to the campaign vehicle as I have travelled the state letting folks know about my campaign, the issues that are important to me, and that I will continue to go everywhere and anywhere to get my message out to the people. As of this 10 seconds, I have travelled over 75,000 miles and counting.

On Wednesday, February 4th, I started out at the Loudoun County Democratic Committee and then quickly backtracked into Arlington for their ACDC meeting.

Washington Post Blog

February 7, 2009

Forty Democratic leaders and elected officials, many from southern Virginia, endorsed Jon Bowerbank for lieutenant governor today.

"There is no candidate more qualified for lieutenant governor than Jon Bowerbank,'' Del. Clarence E. "Bud" Phillips (D-Dickenson) said. "Jon's business experience and expertise in the energy sector are unparalleled, and that's exactly the experience and expertise that we need in Virginia's government. If we want a Democrat in the lieutenant governor's office come November, we need Jon Bowerbank as our candidate."

Left of the Hill

February 7, 2009

Earlier today Jon Bowerbank announced that he has received the endorsement of an additional 40 Democratic elected officials and party leaders. Included in that list are Delegates Bud Phillips and Dan Bowling, which is important because it illustrates how support for Bowerbank's candidacy is growing among state-level officials. As one of the big issues facing the General Assembly is what to do regarding the financial crisis, it is also worthwhile to note that Del. Phillips highlighted Bowerbank's business management skills as one of the primary reasons to support Jon's candidacy.

    "There is no candidate more qualified for Lieutenant Governor than Jon Bowerbank. Jon's business experience and expertise in the energy sector are unparalleled, and that's exactly the experience and expertise that we need in Virginia's government. If we want a Democrat in the Lieutenant Governor's office come November, we need Jon Bowerbank as our candidate."

What is perhaps more impressive, however, is the number of local officials from all over the Commonwealth who were included in the list. This is important because these local officials are often the ones who are most in touch with their constituents and understand the concerns of their communities. When they are endorsing a candidate they will therefore choice the candidate who will truly work in the best interest of their community in addition to the Commonwealth as a whole.

Over the course of the past 13 months of campaigning, I have learned that the political life can take you on a tumultuous road. With the weather, trips to Richmond, Southside, home to Southwest Virginia, and a special election in Fairfax, this week has been a good example of the ups and downs of campaign life.

From Monday, January 26th until Wednesday, January 28th, I had a bad head cold that kept me confined mostly to the office and a bed. This was a downer for me as my favorite part of campaigning has been getting out and meeting constituents.