Tag: Shenandoah Valley

“Must be some politician,” one vendor was overhead saying after he saw a reporter snapping photos of Stewart chatting with two men at the Shenandoah Valley Tea Party Patriots’ booth. “Really?” the vendor said, suddenly interested in the 50-year-old candidate, who admittedly looked a bit out of place in a houndstooth blazer, white dress shirt and neatly pressed jeans. Soon, both men had sidled up to the GOP nominee for Senate, anxious to talk to Stewart and get their picture taken with him. While many Virginians still might not recognize Stewart right away, name recognition is no longer much of a challenge for the longtime chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors. They note that Stewart was actually born and raised in Minnesota. Mainstream politicians, regardless of party, have conned the American people, promised them the world and given them nothing in return, he says. All the while, Stewart adds, they sit up in Washington “living high on the hog.” That independent streak — along with his politically charged rhetoric — has won him legions of dedicated supporters, especially among young and middle-aged white men who feel their voice has been lost amid the rise of groups like Black Lives Matter and the changing demographics of a nation where Latinos make up an increasing percentage of the population. But he won’t apologize for his most controversial statements or his admittedly brusque style that eschews political correctness. “People won’t admit it, but the fact is, they find it refreshing when someone speaks their mind,” he said in an interview with The News Virginian at the gun show on Saturday. As Stewart makes his way back into the exposition hall following the interview, he chats with visitors to the gun show and takes photos with supporters, many of whom may not have recognized him earlier — but are eager to show their support to the man they hope will be a U.S. senator this time next year.