WHY YOU KNOW HIM: Perriello was elected to represent Virginia’s 5th Congressional District in 2008, a year of historic turnout with President Barack Obama at the top of the ticket. In the closing days of the contest, Obama held a rally for Perriello, during which he called the 5th District race a “test case” to re-elect a candidate with integrity. Perriello lost.
WHAT’S NEW: Speculation abounds over what the future holds for Perriello. If he knows, he’s not ready to share.
Most pressing is seeing his House business through to completion.
“It’s a tremendous honor to get to serve, and trying to make sure everything’s wrapped up, handed off and all business is completed is my first priority,” Perriello said in a recent interview.
After that, he’ll focus on the next way to serve.
“I’ve been involved in the nonprofit sector and now the public sector, and there are a lot of different ways to try to help people out who are struggling, in the working and middle class, and I think we’ll continue to look at ways that I might be able to be part of those efforts,” he said.
“The fact is, I haven’t made any serious decisions or moves in directions. I just ask where can I make the most difference, and we’ll see where that ends up.”
Could it potentially include a future run for elected office? He’s not ruling it out, or running toward it at the moment.
After two years of “24-7, everything I had,” Perriello lost his election to Robert Hurt, a Republican state senator from Chatham.
“It’s honestly not where my heart is right now, but I can’t know how I’m going to feel down the road and … I’ve described this job as the worst job I’ve ever loved and stand by that description.”
Olympia Meola
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