WHY I AM RUNNING
People Before Politics
I am Carl Bedell, a proud American, Army veteran, lawyer, and small business owner, and I am running for Congress in Virginia’s 7th District.
Our Nation deserves leadership that is principled and pragmatic, that upholds the morals and values we expect of those that govern. We need representation that will continue to find common ground and develop common sense solutions. I will be that leader in Congress. I will work to return respect to Washington, rebuild the confidence of our Nation in our elected officials and be a testament to the belief that our representation should be, and can be, leaders of character that value and extoll the principles of honesty and integrity. As a moderate Democrat I believe in governing in a fiscally responsible manner and transcending party lines when necessary to achieve the common good. I will always put our Nation and her people before politics.
A Life Rooted In Service & Community
MEET CARL
Carl has a family legacy of service to our nation that dates to David Bedell, Carl’s 4th great grandfather who fought in the Revolutionary War. Carl’s mother, Colonel (Retired) Mary Bedell served for 34 years in the Army and his father was a Sailor during the Vietnam War. His ancestors have served in nearly every major conflict in our Nation’s history.
As one of three sons in a military family, Carl’s childhood was transient – he was born in Kentucky and grew up in rural communities in Missouri and Oklahoma before moving to Germany with the U.S. Army. He attended Washington University in St. Louis on an ARMY ROTC scholarship where he studied marketing and international business and had his second opportunity to live aboard, this time in London, England.
Following college, Carl was commissioned in the U.S. Army and served in assignments with NATO and U.S. Army military intelligence organizations. He completed his military service as a Captain and Counterintelligence Special Agent. After graduating law school from Georgetown University, his work as a lawyer has focused on advocating for Veterans and small businesses. In addition, as a small-business owner and consultant to the Federal government, he has worked to enhance financial management operations and promote accountability of tax dollars and transparency of how those funds are spent.
Carl has a lifetime of commitment to his community. He has served on local and state boards focusing on Veterans issues, cancer research, and the arts. He is the current Vice Chair of the Virginia Board of Veterans Services, having first been appointed by Governor McAuliffe and reappointed by Governor Northam. While living in Northern Virginia, he served on the Arlington County Commission for the Arts and Chaired the Arlington County Public Art Committee. He also has served on numerous boards for museums in the Washington D.C. area. Philanthropically, Carl is the founder of multiple programs to raise money to support Veterans organizations, to provide morale-boosting activities for ill, injured, or wounded Armed Service members, and to champion artists.
An Experienced & Balanced Leader
REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE
Carl’s professional and civic experience provides real-world understanding of the issues facing our District, the Commonwealth, and our Nation. Carl lives in rural Greene County on a small homesite near the Shenandoah National Park. He grew up in small towns in middle-America and visiting his grandparents’ farms. And since his childhood has been an avid outdoorsman, fisherman, and hunter. He understands rural America and the issues in those communities.
He also understands urban America. His final military assignment brought him to the Washington, D.C., area where he called home for 18 years. There, he attended law school, worked as a government contractor, opened his law practice, and built his management consulting company. He served on County boards and worked to improve the cultural fabric of the community through non-profit organizations. He lived the commuter’s life, spending hours commuting to and from work in and around Washington. He understands the issues facing those living in the I-95 corridor.
Carl’s professional experience provides a foundation to be an effective leader on the issues before Congress. His service in the Army provides him the national security experience we need in Government. After living abroad for over six years, he understands foreign policy and the importance of international relations and our NATO allies. As a small business owner, he has experienced the challenges of building and sustaining a small business. And pertinent to the 7th Congressional District, as a government contractor, he understands the local economy supported by government spending. Through his work on federal financial accountability and transparency issues, he has a keen understanding of the federal budget process, and the impact that failures to fund the government have on federal employees, our military, and government contractors. As a lawyer, Carl understands how laws should be written and how the legal system works.
A Moderate Candidate for a Moderate District
WHY VOTE BEDELL
Virginia’s 7th Congressional District is a moderate district with most of the population density centered on the I-95 corridor, yet the majority of the counties are formed by rural communities. The electorate votes moderate, and the District deserves representation that can understand, relate to, and represent the entire District.
Carl is a moderate Democrat. He believes in social justice, civil rights and social policies that support all Americans while governing in a fiscally responsible manner that supports our business community and grows our economy. He believes in strong defense policies that maintain our national security and sustain our Nation’s role as the leader of the free world.
Carl is a proud American and believes that we the people share far more similarities than differences and that our Nation and our citizens should always come before politics.
The Key Issues
Drawing from his extensive experience in the military and legal fields, Carl proposes practical, informed solutions to our district's most pressing challenges.
"In this critical election to fill Virginia’s 7th Congressional seat, it’s vital that we vote for a candidate who brings Virginians together, not divides them. Carl Bedell is that candidate. Not only did Carl serve our nation honorably as an Army officer, he has dedicated his professional career to assisting veterans and their families. Having worked with Carl when he was appointed by then-Governor Terry McAuliffe and reappointed by Governor Ralph Northam to Virginia’s Board of Veteran Services, I personally observed Carl work across party lines to ensure Virginia’s veterans receive the support they deserve. Carl brings a common sense approach to government, needed in Congress more today than ever. Your vote for Carl is a vote for sanity in government, for unity, and common sense. He has my complete endorsement."
Tom Herthel
Retired Air Force Officer
Retired Deputy Commissioner,
Virginia Department of Veterans Services
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