Silver Persinger says he’s living the American dream. The 34-year-old is running for the 5th district of the Richmond City Council on a socialist platform.
“I’m free, and it’s a wonderful thing,” he said during an interview Thursday at World Cup Coffee. Persinger is running the campaign on a shoe-string budget, planning to spend less than $400 in his bid for incumbent E. Martin “Marty” Jewell’s seat.
“That will be the cheapest campaign in the entire city. My whole political outlook is biased against money,” he said.
That means the 1997 VCU graduate is not asking for or spending anyone else’s money.
“My logic behind that was to make a point that I’m not in anyone’s pocket. If I get elected it will be because democracy is working.”
Persinger said the symbolism of the Sept. 11 attacks, combined with catching “the Socialist bug,” convinced him to get into politics. For the past several years, he’s been a regular at City Council and other open government meetings.
He’ll find whatever on the agenda is most offensive and speak – usually against it, he said.
“There is a lot of opportunity for citizen input, opportunity to give their two cents,” Persinger said. “It’s pretty sad because not a lot of people participate.
“One of the things that’s funny about being, as the Times-Dispatch called me, a ‘gadfly’ is that I have more institutional memory than a lot of city administrators. It seems like there’s a revolving door at City Hall,” he said.
This is the first time his name will go on a ballot, but not his first campaign. He ran as a write-in candidate for City Council in 2002, mayor of Richmond in 2004 and lieutenant governor of Virginia in 2005.
“I really think that people should have options for socialist candidates,” Persinger said.
He wants to develop city-wide plans that will help all districts, including the 5th, which spans both sides of the James River. Persinger plans to increase citizen involvement and make Richmond’s government more transparent. He supports projects for the public good, like a downtown bus transfer station on the site of the proposed Performing Arts Center.
“I would prefer to see something that is usable for the majority. It’s a need,” Persinger said.
Another point of contention is the sale of public buildings. Jewell was one of two council members to vote to sell the Lee Street Armory to a developer.
“What I suggested they do is make that a community center for Carver and Jackson Ward,” Persinger explained. “That would be a great way to preserve this public building. I’m just a big advocate of public space.”
The VCU Campus Addition also raised Persinger’s ire.
“The thing I’m most pissed at VCU about recently is the closure of the entrance onto the downtown expressway going west,” he said. “What had been a public right of way built at taxpayer expense now in essence being privatized by the state.”
He discovered his political themes in history and is enjoying bringing them to life in today’s Richmond.
“I’ve discovered this history, and it’s so rich, and it’s really so inspiring,” he said of his growing collection of 19th and 20th century socialist literature.
“I really love history, and I love learning about this stuff. It’s nice to find people in time, 120 years ago, that you can really identify with,” Persinger said.
Note: A call to Jewell’s home to discuss the election was not returned by press time.