Sen. Warner makes his way across the Southside just days before election
DANVILLE, Va. (WSET) -- In the final days leading up to Election Day, Senator Mark Warner spent Wednesday evening answering tough questions from civilians in Danville.
Warner made his way around the Southside on Wednesday, including a stop in Danville at Bibleway Cathedral to meet with African American voters and city leaders.
The incumbent discussed the upcoming election, a need for police reform and the hope for a COVID-19 relief package.
He also acknowledged how the pandemic has hurt businesses and disproportionately impacted those that are owned by minorities.
"I've got a bipartisan piece of legislation that would invest billions of dollars into a community of development financial institutions that lend to black businesses, women-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses," Warner said.
Although his opponent Daniel Gade wasn't in Danville on Wednesday, he released a comment about how COVID-19 has impacted the Southside.
"COVID-19 has negatively impacted businesses in Southside Virginia and across the country and we need to get people back to work as soon as possible," Gade said.
Warner also spent Wednesday discussing issues of inequality, especially when it comes to the pandemic.
"We've seen two and three times as many Black and brown Americans get sick and die from this virus," Warner said. "That's why we need to build on basic preventative care."
Gade also shared comments on how the pandemic has impacted minority groups.
"COVID-19 has disproportionately affected minority communities," Gade said. "In order for our communities to heal from this pandemic, we need relief funding for schools, businesses and a vaccine."
As far as police reform goes, Warner said that he feels officers need to get more involved with their communities.
In past debates, Gade and Warner don't quite see eye-to-eye when it comes to what police reform should look like, with Gade stating that he is against banning police chokehold because he believes it will only push officers to grab for their weapons.
