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Down Home Madison has endorsed Rupa Russe for County Commissioner.

The members of Down Home Madison have voted to endorse Rupa Russe for County Commissioner. We’d like to tell you why.

This past summer, when our local Madison county members were doing research to create our local political platform and ultimately set out to interview candidates, they had one major question in mind: what do we want to change in Madison County, and what do we want to preserve?

Like all rural communities, Madison County is facing major changes and choices. Will we pave the way for an asphalt plant that could threaten our identity as the “Jewel of the Blue Ridge,” or will we invest in jobs that build the best opportunities for local residents? Will we allow luxury developments to crowd out those with fewer means, or will we invest in quality affordable housing for our residents? Will we continue to defund our public schools, or will we invest in our children and their future?

As a single mother, Rupa has raised her family here in Madison County. She knows first-hand the difficulties that local families are facing here because she’s one of them. Rupa acutely understands the housing crisis that is unfolding here in Madison, where rent is increasing so quickly that working families are having difficulty finding a safe, affordable place to live. Our seniors often live in unsafe housing conditions without proper upkeep and maintenance. To Rupa, this isn’t acceptable. As County Commissioner, she will work to increase the affordable housing stock and protect what we have.

Rupa also understands that we must create accessible opportunities for our children right here at home in Madison County. Rupa believes that we as a county must do more to invest in our children and proposes that we create more opportunities for children and teens to have safe, creative spaces to engage, socialize, and be in community with one another. As County Commissioner, she would work to adequately fund our public schools and support our teachers, administrators, families, and children alike. Rupa’s campaign also highlights the need to bring broadband internet access to all the corners, hills, and hollers of Madison County in order to give children the learning opportunities they need, seniors the connectivity they desire, and to attract businesses that will make our local economy stable and sustainable.

A cornerstone of Rupa’s platform for Madison County is her MADISONworks program—a three-fold approach to harnessing the wealth of skills we have in Madison and tapping into the legacy of skilled trades/agrarian folks and independent business owners, and our inspired youth population. She knows that everything we need is right here. We just need to build our power.

Rupa truly believes that no one in Madison County should be left behind. She has plans for families, seniors, children, farmers, and small businesses— and we know her to have the experience and skills to make these plans reality.

These are the reasons why Down Home Madison has voted to endorse Rupa Russe for County Commissioner. Not only will we be voting for her in November, but we are committed to spreading the word about Rupa and why we need her in office to represent the Madison County we know and love.

Will you help? You can mobilize your community to support Rupa and candidates like her by volunteering for Down Home’s Relational Voter Turnout Project. We will give you everything you need to activate your community. Learn more here.