Arlington Democrats voting in the 47th district have a strong field of candidates from which to choose for the House of Delegates.

I believe one candidate, Andres Tobar, stands out from the field. I say this not because of the historic nature of his candidacy, but because I believe he is the best prepared for the job, and most likely to be effective in representing Arlington in Richmond. The reasons may be summarized in three parts: His work experience; his life experience; and the personal qualities that define his character.

Over many years as a professional and as a volunteer Andres has, quietly and humbly, amassed a most remarkable résumé. The breadth and extent of his experience goes far beyond that of any other candidate. Andres has worked on policy at every level – local, state, federal – and in many different capacities – as a legislative aide, as an administrator in the federal government, as the manager of a non-profit, and as an advocate and community organizer.

His varied work experiences include doing legislative research for a Congressman on the U.S. Bilingual Education Act; overseeing programs at the U.S. Department of Education that helped low income kids to finish high school and go to college; and serving as Executive Director of the Shirlington Employment and Education Center. He’s run an association of publishers, been a member of the Board of Arlington Housing Corporation, built coalitions to lobby for progressive legislation in Richmond. And that’s just a sampling.

But, what sets Andres Tobar apart is not just work experience, but life experience.

Andres doesn’t simply have compassion; he can identify with people who are struggling with adversity because he knows what it means. Born to a family of migrant farmworkers, Andres and his family picked cotton. He didn’t hear English until he went to school, didn’t see a doctor until he was nine. His parents could not read or write, but Andres worked his way through college and then earned a graduate degree. And, ever since, he’s been working to give other people opportunities.

These kind of experiences are decidedly relevant factors in choosing who should write the laws that govern us all. What one brings to elective office has a lot to do with what one does in it.

This isn’t just about symbols – it’s not simply that Andres would be the first Latino elected to the Virginia General Assembly, though the significance of that fact should not be discounted. In a state in which the legacy of discrimination and the fight for civil rights are fundamental to both our history and continuing political reality, there is incalculable value in electing someone for whom these things are not abstractions, but personal experiences. As a boy Andres had to walk by restaurants and movie theaters displaying signs that said “No Mexicans” – and knew that they were meant to exclude him. That kind of perspective is an asset in a lawmaker for which there is no substitute.

With these professional and life experiences, Andres Tobar would enter the General Assembly with a certain stature not attainable for the typical freshman legislator. But what will make him effective, from the very first day, are the extraordinary personal qualities familiar to all who have had the chance to work with him. Andres combines resolute, passionate advocacy with an uncommon ability to reach across divides, to bring people together who are otherwise at odds. His ability to disarm folks, his humility, his “gentlemanliness,” will make him a natural in a body in which effectiveness depends so heavily on successfully building interpersonal relationships.

In selecting the newest member of Arlington’s legislative delegation voters in the 47th have an opportunity not just to make a statement, but to choose a representative of exceptional character, whose humble nature belies extraordinary accomplishments in a lifetime devoted to helping others get the chance for a better life: Andres Tobar.

– Christopher Zimmerman
Member, Arlington County Board