Tom Perriello was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 representing the 5th District. Prior to that, he was a national security consultant and founded a number of faith-based organizations.
Virginia Upbringing
Born and raised in the 5th district, Tom is the youngest of four children of Vito and Linda Perriello. Tom was an Eagle Scout in the Stonewall Jackson Area Council, and he attended Albemarle County public schools and St. Anne’s-Belfield. From an early age, he was taught that a strong faith is a lived faith. His parents raised him to believe that to whom much is given, much is expected, and those lessons have shaped his lifelong commitment to service.
Fighting for Solutions in Conflict Zones
After receiving his law degree from Yale University, Tom accepted an assignment working to end atrocities in the West African countries of Liberia and Sierra Leone, which had suffered long civil wars fueled by blood diamonds. Tom’s work with child soldiers, amputees, and local pro-democracy groups in Sierra Leone played a significant role in the peace and reconciliation process that ended twelve years of violence in that country. Tom then became Special Advisor and spokesperson for the International Prosecutor during the showdown that forced Liberian dictator Charles Taylor from power without firing a shot. After this success, Tom served as a national security analyst for the Century Foundation. He has worked inside Darfur and twice in Afghanistan.
Changing the American Debate on Faith in Politics
Since 2004, Tom has helped to launch a political and social movement in this country that is credited with shifting the national debate about America’s moral priorities. He helped found FaithfulAmerica.org and Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good, which bring together faith communities to fight for children’s health care, supporting a higher minimum wage, environmental stewardship, and responsible solutions in Iraq. Inspired by the prophetic vision of Dr. King, Wilberforce, and Micah, Tom believes that America must reverse the erosion of our commitment to the common good and restore our understanding that our nation rises or falls together.
2008 Conviction Campaign
In the 2008 election, Tom set out to prove that a grassroots, people-powered campaign could trump the politics of fear and special interests. He ran against then-Rep. Virgil Goode, a six-term incumbent who had beaten his previous opponents by no fewer than 20 points. In August, Tom was still down 34 points in the polls; few, if any, political experts thought he had a shot. But he built the largest grassroots network the district had ever seen, ran an innovative campaign based on service and people power, and devised a comprehensive economic revival strategy. After being certified the winner after a recount, Tom pledged to work a “double shift” for the people of the 5th District and hasn’t slowed down since.
