I encourage constituents of the 8th Congressional District to cast their vote for Shannon Hader on Aug. 7.
Shannon is the only Democrat in the 8th with a proven track record of directing federal people, policies and dollars to drive action and save lives at the local, national and global level.
As a former classmate of Shannon’s, I have seen first-hand her aptitude as a student and since then, her undeniable compassion and steadfast resolution as a professional. No stranger to government service, but not as a politician, she led a team of 2,000 people, in 45 countries, with an annual budget of more than $2 billion while working at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). She was part of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), where her team helped contribute to the over 2.2 million babies born HIV-free who would have otherwise been born infected. She did all this under four different administrations – Democratic and Republican. With cuts to her budget looming every four years, her leadership, fortitude and focus on results helped ensure unanimous bipartisan reauthorization.
It’s time for the 8th District to be a player on the national stage, and Shannon is the only candidate in this race who can hit the ground running when she gets to D.C. Go to drshannonforcongress.com, and spend time comparing her credentials and problem-solving ability to the other candidates. You will agree there’s a reason Shannon’s been endorsed by every local grassroots Democratic group that has issued an endorsement in this race.
Speaking of grassroots, Shannon is a fifth-generation Washingtonian growing up in Auburn. Not one to idle, she went on to Stanford University (the first in her family to earn a four-year degree), followed by Columbia University for medical school and a residency at Duke University Medical Center.
I’ve never canvassed before and never sent a letter to the editor endorsing someone. Shannon’s the reason I’m involved, not because I know her from high school or because I’m a Democrat. It’s because no one else running has achieved bipartisan success like her at the national level. I highly encourage you to vote for Shannon Hader on Aug. 7.
– DeNae Ryan McGee
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