Reposting of a Facebook commentary by De’Andre Barnes used with permission of the author

When people talk about your inexperience, you talk about their experience.

I’m voting for Stephanie N. Morales because she hasn’t prosecuted a murder case and is young and inexperienced. I’m voting for Stephanie because I want her to create programs that prevent murders from happening; I don’t want her to gain experience in convicting murderers. If she does gain that experience, then that just means we have failed as a city. I’m voting for her because she’s young, and she understands that it’s difficult being young in a city with a lack of resources and opportunities. This will help her to create sound programs that will help our young men, women, girls and boys from getting in trouble and to stay out of it as well. Lastly, I’m voting for her because she’s inexperienced… not in the sense of knowing her job, but inexperienced in the old policies that have locked up more people in this country than any other country in this world. This is why I’m voting for Stephanie, and this is why my friend will be elected on Tuesday. If you want to vote for the candidates who have prosecuted a murder, who are older and more experienced, then you go right ahead, but I will take Stephanie as my Commonwealth Attorney and chief prosecutor for the kids I fight to have opportunities any day. Please remember to vote Tuesday so we can make history for the most qualified and the first elected black woman Commonwealth Attorney in the city of Portsmouth who just happens to be from Truxtun!