Korpe is running for the US House of Representatives, from Virginia.
By Deepak Chitnis
WASHINGTON, DC: Democrat Satish Korpe, a business owner in northern Virginia, is currently running to represent the state’s 8th Congressional District in this year’s elections. The seat has been occupied by fellow Democrat Jim Moran for over twenty years, but the senior Congressman is stepping down after his current term ends, opening the floodgates for those who hope to represent the vital district on Capitol Hill.
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.
Korpe has an extensive background in engineering and construction management, and hopes to put his considerable resume to use as the 8th District’s Congressional representative. Competition is stiff, however, with about a dozen other candidates vying in the Democratic Primary, which is set to take place on June 10.
In an interview with The American Bazaar, Korpe discusses his motivations for running, his vision for northern Virginia and Washington, DC, and what sets him apart from the other candidates.
Excerpts from the interview:
The seat you’re running for is held by Rep. Jim Moran, who has become a pillar of the local community since taking office in 1991. Those are going to be big shoes to fill once he leaves, so what gave you the confidence to run now?
Jim Moran is someone I admire and respect a great deal. He has served for 22 years, and a lot of people want to take his seat. To me, it’s not so much about filling his shoes, but about replacing him. I don’t want to be in his shadow. I feel that I have what it takes to represent the 8th District in a modern fashion, to bring it into the new age and new America, and that’s how I’d like to represent it if I am elected.
What does being an Indian American candidate allow you to bring to the table?
More than being an Indian American, I am a new American. I have gone through the immigrant experience, and I know what it’s like to be an outsider looking in. The 8th District has a large immigrant population, and since I am one of them, I am uniquely qualified to understand their experiences and serve them, and the community, in the best way possible. The other candidates simply don’t have that.
You’re perhaps the first Indian American candidate to run for Congress from a district located so close to Capitol Hill, the so-called “seat of power.” How does that feel for you?
Honestly, for me, the most important thing is that my closeness to Washington has given me a very good perspective on it. I have lived in this [Washington, DC] area for thirty years. I know it very well, and I know how it works. But more importantly, I am not a Washington insider. I’m not someone who will go to Congress and be a part of the problem. Having been in Virginia, I’ve had the benefit of being away from all that, so if I go to Capitol Hill, I will work with both Democrats and Republicans to make sure that legislation gets passed and the interests of the constituents are voiced.
Washington has become a place where fighting and animosity have taken over. We need new people, people who haven’t been in that, to come in and really shake things up. That’s what I plan to do.
You’ve mentioned that one of the key tenets of your campaign is to help build up infrastructure in your district – can you elaborate on that?
In this area, almost all of the utilities need to be overhauled. I’m talking about water, sewage, power, highways, [etc.]. These have all been there for many years, and some even go back decades. The ironic thing with infrastructure is that, as the population continues to grow, these vital things get older and more obsolete. We need to modernize them, and expand them for the growing northern Virginia population. Modern technology needs to be implemented to keep up with modern society, so that the 8th District can remain competitive.
You’ve also talked about job creation and reducing unemployment – how do you plan to accomplish that?
Well, I feel that that infrastructure plan I outlined goes hand-in-hand with creating jobs. As we expand these plants, those will create jobs. Then we’ll need to employ people to work in them. With modern technologies being used in these new plants, people will need to be employed for those. So job creation will happen organically through that.
You’ve also taken a rather hardline stance on gun control.
Gun control needs to be stricter, but I’ve always said that it’s not guns that kill people, it’s bullets. I’d like to propose legislation that would curb the sales of bullets more than guns, as bullet sale is far more de-regulated.
When the Second Amendment was created, it was a different time. People lived on farms, or on their own estates, miles and miles from each other, so they needed guns to be able to protect themselves without a centralized police force. Now, things are different. You can call the cops. You can keep some kind of weapon to protect yourself. You can have a security system. You don’t have to kill someone; you don’t need a gun, you don’t need bullets.
How confident do you feel about your chances to win?
I feel very good. 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, so please go out and vote on June 10. If you don’t vote, you don’t count.