August 23, 2017 News & Press Releases · Press Releases and Announcements

Gillespie Goes All In on DeVos, Campaign Says “He Appreciates His Support From Members of the DeVos Family”


by Democratic Party of Virginia

Gillespie Goes All In on DeVos, Campaign Says “He Appreciates His Support From Members of the DeVos Family”

Gillespie Hasn’t Just Enthusiastically Adopted the Betsy DeVos Policy Agenda — He Is Now Publicly Praising Her Family’s Support

What does $105,000 buy you?

Apparently a lot.

The DeVos family has now donated $105,000 to the Gillespie campaign. And in return, Ed Gillespie has enthusiastically embraced Betsy DeVos’ extreme  policy agenda — including her support for vouchers, scrapping students’ civil rights protections, and cuts to education funding. As Governor, Gillespie has proposed a DeVos-esque plan that would funnel much-needed taxpayer dollars into the hands of unaccountable private organizations.

And as if that wasn’t enough, the Gillespie campaign is now publicly praising the entire DeVos family and their out-of-state money, telling Politico that “Ed appreciates his support from members of the DeVos family.”

Can you feel the love?

“Ed Gillespie is becoming a puppet of the DeVos family, and if elected governor would bring the extremist Trump-DeVos policy agenda into every classroom in Virginia,” said DPVA spokesperson Kevin Donohoe. “Ed Gillespie has been a big beneficiary of the DeVos’ out-of-state family money — and their investment is clearly paying off. Instead of proposing policies that will ensure every child in Virginia has strong public school in their community, Gillespie has enthusiastically adopted DeVos-esque schemes that will divert funding away from public schools and to unaccountable private entities. Virginia students deserve better.”

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Politico’s Morning Education: TEACHERS UNIONS TARGET GILLESPIE IN VA GOVERNOR’S RACE

By Michael Stratford

Teachers unions are stepping up their opposition to Virginia Republican gubernatorial candidate Ed Gillespie — and they’re using an emerging tactic on the left: linking him to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. National and local union leaders said on Tuesday that they would be mobilizing against Gillespie by highlighting his ties to DeVos, as they back his Democratic opponent Ralph Northam. Gillespie has accepted more than $100,000 in campaign contributions from the DeVos family. “Ed Gillespie can dress it up in any which way he wishes to, but the bottom line is he is a clone of Betsy DeVos. The agenda that Gillespie is pushing for is an agenda that hurts kids,” said Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

— Gillespie campaign spokesman David Abrams told Morning Education:"Ed appreciates his support from members of the DeVos family, and is laser-focused on policies that ensure every child in Virginia has access to a high quality, safe and student-focused education. National teachers unions oppose innovative reforms that empower parents like Ed's plan does, and want a governor who will maintain the education status quo like Lt. Governor Northam would."