Dr. Mark Downey selected for Sorensen Institute’s 2019 Candidate Training Program

Category: News

The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership has selected Mark Downey, M.D. as one of its 2019 Candidate Training Program’s members.

The Sorensen Institute’s Candidate Training Program (CTP) is an intensive, four-day program focused on the fundamentals of a winning campaign for office.

Participants explore the nuts and bolts of building a strong campaign from the ground up—all within the context of ethics and principled public service. The curriculum does not prescribe a particular set of campaign guidelines or rules, but does provide candidates with a framework for developing their own code of conduct to run a winning and ethical campaign. Participants in the program represent a broad range of ideologies and a diversity of communities from throughout Virginia. The CTP was first offered in 1999 with support from a grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts.

Seven graduates of our 2009 Candidate Training Program were elected to office the same year— 3 Republicans, 3 Democrats and 1 Independent. That includes 2 Republicans and 2 Democrats of the CTP 2009 class who were elected for the first time to the Virginia General Assembly on November 3— all four of whom were brand new to state-level campaign politics until they participated in Sorensen. Each year, graduates of the Candidate Training Program go on to run successful campaigns for office at all levels of government.

The Candidate Training Program will meet March 21-24 in Millwood, Virginia, to learn about the fundamentals of running an ethical and winning campaign for public office.


“I’m honored and excited to be invited to the 2019 Candidate Training Program at the Sorensen Institute at the University of Virginia this year! As with all my endeavors in life, I strive to learn as much as I can to be prepared for what comes next!”