Fredericksburg Advance:  Abigail Spanberger Recognized for Bipartisanship

FREDERICKSBURG ADVANCE, MARTIN DAVIS

That the U.S. Congress is often gridlocked in terms of moving effective legislation – see failures to pass a budget, develop effective border policies, or tackle gun violence – is hardly news. However, it’s not true that every member of Congress is a partisan warrior.

The Common Ground Scorecard annually rates members of Congress on their bipartisanship. Four representatives were tied for Fourth Place on the list, including the 7th District’s Abigail Spanberger. She, along with Gus Bilirakis (R-FL 12), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA 1), and David Trone (D-MD 6) earned scores of 100.

Topping this year’s list were:

• Maggie Hassan (D-NH) Score of 110
• Susie Lee (D-NV 3) Score of 106
• Don Bacon (R-NE 2) Score of 104

The average score in Congress this year was 29.

Virginia’s other representatives earned the following Scores:

• Jen Kiggans (R-VA 2) 45
• Ben Cline (R-VA 6) 43
• Jennifer McClellan (D-VA 4) 37
• Rob Wittman (R-VA 1) 36
• Bobby Scott (D-VA 3) 24
• Bob Good (R-VA 5) 20

“While personal attacks and social media spats in Congress get the most attention, most Americans probably don’t realize there are earnest and dedicated Members like Congresswoman Spanberger, striving each day to solve the complex problems our country faces,” said Common Ground Committee Co-founder Erik Olsen.

“Even in this era of divided government,” said Spanberger, “we are able to — and we must — find common ground. I thank the Common Ground Committee for their continued efforts to bring our communities, our Commonwealth, and our country together. At the end of the day, bipartisanship isn’t just a political ideal — it’s the key to unlocking real progress for the Virginians I serve.”

To learn more about the Common Ground Scorecard and how grading is handled, read the site’s FAQ page.