To the editor:

In this political era of intense factionalism and heated partisan rhetoric, it is refreshing to find a candidate on any level who displays a calm, common sense approach to problem solving. Fortunately, Alexandria has such a candidate in Darryl Nirenberg, who is running for City Council this November.

Nirenberg brings a longtime resident’s knowledge and understanding of the challenges faced by Alexandrians and a lawyer’s logic to their resolution. In his campaign, he has emphasized not only the need to reach across the aisle to build consensus in problem solving, but also the need to have diversity of political thought in council’s deliberations. For too long, our city has been governed by not just one party, but one narrow faction of that party. It is certainly time for Alexandria to readopt the system that has served the rest of America well for the last two centuries: a genuine two-party system.

We face challenges every day: flooding, the pandemic, increased crime, faltering schools. These challenges are colorblind and affect all of us, irrespective of race or ethnic background. To solve them, the widest diversity of views needs to be brought to bear in any deliberation or debate by city government, so that the best solutions are achieved.

Americans learned very early in our national experience that the surest way to reach an optimum decision was to have wide ranging and free discussion. Only by such methods can we be assured that all reasonable alternatives are thoroughly debated and fairly analyzed, and that the final decision is the best for the citizens. This is a lesson that Alexandria needs to re-learn.

That is why I support Darryl Nirenberg as the Republican candidate for City Council this Nov. 2, and I urge all Alexandrians to do the same.

-Pete Benavage, Alexandria