U.S. Senator Mark Warner (Democrat, Virginia) has launched his bid for a fourth term, strongly criticizing President Donald Trump’s war against Iran as a “war of choice.” At a re-election campaign launch event for Northern Virginia held on the 8th at Shipgarten, a beer garden in Tysons, Senator Warner (71) argued that “there was no immediate threat to the United States” and that “this war is not inevitable, but the result of a choice.”<\/p>\n
Approximately 300 to 400 supporters attended the event, and Virginia Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi and Representative James Walkinshaw (Democrat) also delivered supporting speeches. Senator Warner, who serves as Vice Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, focused his criticism on the effectiveness and cost issues of the war. He stated, \u201cEven after 40 days, a change of regime has not occurred; on the contrary, the Iranian leadership has become more radicalized,\u201d adding that \u201cIran still controls the Strait of Hormuz and possesses enriched uranium.\u201d<\/p>\n
The human cost of the war was also mentioned. He emphasized, \u201cDo you want your children to go to the battlefield?\u201d and noted, \u201cTo date, 13 U.S. soldiers have died and 300 have been wounded, and economic burdens, such as rising energy prices, are increasing.\u201d Senator Warner also pointed out the issue of fiscal priorities.<\/p>\n
He criticized, \u201cThe President is demanding an additional $200 billion for this war,\u201d adding, \u201cHe claims there is no money for healthcare, yet he is spending massive budgets on the war.\u201d<\/p>\n
Furthermore, noting that approximately 350,000 Virginia residents would be affected by Medicaid cuts after the election, he argued, \u201cTo control healthcare costs, a universal healthcare system is ultimately necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n
Senator Walkinshaw, who delivered a supporting speech alongside him, criticized the Trump administration as \u201can administration characterized by chaos, rising costs, and corruption.\u201d He strongly criticized the situation, stating, \u201cA situation where the U.S. President threatens to \u2018annihilate\u2019 91 million people could constitute the most serious war crime in history.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued by asking, \u201cAre the residents of Northern Virginia ready to re-elect Senator Mark Warner?\u201d emphasizing that \u201cSenator Warner is someone who has fought against this administration every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Senator Mark Warner entered the U.S. Senate in 2009 and previously served as the Governor of Virginia (2002\u20132006). Numerous Democratic politicians also attended the event, including State Senators Saddam Salim and Jennifer Boisco; State Assemblymen Tran Cash, Michelle Maldonado, and Gretchen Bulova; Fairfax County Supervisor Jeff McKay; and Sully District Supervisor Kathy Smith. Among the Korean attendees was former Virginia Secretary of Commerce Esther Kim.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"