The Indian American is the fifth candidate to exit.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Satish Korpe, one of several Democratic candidates vying for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District seat in the US House of Representatives, has dropped out of the race.
Korpe officially announced his withdrawal from the race on May 10. In a statement, he expressed his gratitude for the support he received during his brief political run, but said that ultimately, there simply wasn’t enough time to mount the kind of campaign needed to win such a competitive race.
RELATED STORY: Exclusive interview with Va. 8th Congressional District candidate Satish Korpe
“I have evaluated the campaign and have come to the conclusion that there are some challenges that we cannot overcome in the next four weeks,” Korpe said, speaking about the upcoming primary election onJune 10. “Time was not on our side. “
Despite having obtained 2,000 signatures necessary to get his name on the ballot, as well as participating in 10 forums and debates in March and April, Korpe ultimately came to the conclusion that his campaign “[would] not have ample opportunity to reach voters with our message.”
“I want to thank all of you who supported me with contributions, volunteer work, and words of encouragement,” said Korpe. “Your support and confidence in me has been a testament to the uniqueness of our message, and has meant more to me than you could know.”
Korpe did not rule out another run for elected office, however, and vowed to remain actively involved in politics, as well as with his local community. Korpe said as much during a past interview with The American Bazaar, in which he professed passion for politics, and his desire to engage constituents in voting.
“I want to tell people that they really need to engage in their local politics and become active. You have to be active if you want your voice to count,” Korpe said. “If you don’t vote, you don’t count.”
A business owner and longtime northern Virginia resident, Korpe was running for seat occupied by Democrat Jim Moran, who has held it for over 20 year. Born in Maharashtra, Korpe holds a B.S. from the VRC College in Nagpur and an M.S. in engineering from George Washington University, in Washington, DC.
A resident of Fairfax County, Virginia for over 30 years, Korpe has served in multiple positions on the Fairfax County School Board, and has been a member of a the Democratic Business Council of Northern Virginia for eight years. He has also been an invited member of trade delegations representing both Virginia and Maryland.
Nearly a dozen candidates were running alongside Korpe to represent the Democrat Party on the 8th Congressional District’s ballot, making it an incredibly tight race to begin with. Other Democrats who have withdrawn include Charniele Herring, Alfonso Lopez, Bruce Shuttlesworth, and Mark Sickles.
A clear frontrunner in the race has not quite emerged yet, however, on either the Republican or Democratic side. The race’s primary will be held on June 10, and the national midterm elections will be on November 4.
The full text of Korpe’s resignation letter can be read below:
Dear Friends,
I want to thank each and every one of you for supporting me throughout this endeavor. Your confidence in me and my vision for our country’s future has been truly overwhelming. However, I have evaluated the campaign and have come to the conclusion that there are some challenges that we cannot overcome in the next four weeks. So, today, I am writing to announce that I am withdrawing from the race for U.S. Congress.
From day one, entering this congressional race was challenging. Time was not on our side. But we survived the initial obstacles, and through the diligence and perseverance of our team, we were able to obtain 2,000 signatures to get our name on the ballot. In addition, I was touched by how many of you came forward with generous contributions of time, money, and expertise.
In the last two months, I have spoken at about 10 forums and debates, shaken hundreds of hands, and our volunteers have made thousands of phone calls. It has been exciting to meet strangers and see their enthusiasm and interest in supporting me through our grassroots campaign.
However, despite our best efforts, we will not have ample opportunity to reach voters with our message.
I want to thank all of you who supported me with contributions, volunteer work, and words of encouragement. Your support and confidence in me has been a testament to the uniqueness of our message, and has meant more to me than you could know. If I tried to mention names of those who helped in different ways, it would be a very long list. I would like to thank my family and countless friends, old and new, who have stood by me. The welcoming people of Virginia’s 8th District have inspired me.
While I am withdrawing from the race today, it is certainly not the end of my campaign to increase political participation among all Americans. I shall continue to be engaged in community service and work to motivate more citizens to get involved –from voting to running for public office. However I cannot do it alone. With your help, we will achieve this goal of greater participation by citizens in the political process so that our democracy can run the way it was originally designed. Let’s continue to work to bring the power back to people!
Sincerely,
Satish Korpe