With the election of Ken Stolle to Virginia Beach Sheriff and Ken Cuccinelli to Virginia Attorney General, two vacancies now exist in the Virginia Senate – and the campaign to be the GOP nominee in these districts is going to be fierce.
In the 8th, Rosemary Wilson, Virginia Beach councilwoman, and Jeff McWaters, a businessman, are seeking the nod – and have been since well before the polls closed on Nov. 4. This campaign began early this year when Stolle announced his intent to run for sheriff (where he really did not face any serious opposition). The campaign has been somewhat like sand in your bathing suit all summer long, as each camp has made accusations against the other that they weren’t focused on the general election. Now that the general is over, this race should go white hot, if not nuclear. It is clear that these competitors are going to leave nothing “on the table” as they go for the party’s nod.
As Stolle held this seat almost in perpetuity, the GOP candidates are hopeful that the nominee will have a slam-dunk in their special election. But this goes into the “Lee Corso” category for Virginia politcs. So, “not so fast, my friends.” If Jody Wagner, former Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, decides to attempt an 0-3 in elections, she might make this one close. This means that the GOP candidates have to play the first few days cautious until Wagner makes her decision. If she chooses to stay on the sidelines and not run, the GOP candidates will go after one another with expected fervor.
It is not clear yet as to what method of nomination will be used. However, last year in the 81st House, which is in the Senate district, a canvass was used.
In the 37th, there are three declared nominees. Here’s a bit more detail from the Virginia Senate Republican Caucus (some parts paraphrased):
Marianne Horinko – Marianne has served many years in appointed offices at the federal level and currently operates her own consulting firm, the Horinko group. She has a JD from Georgetown. During the first Bush administration, she served as an attorney advisor to the EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response. After working in private consulting firms during the Clinton administration, she was appointed by GW Bush to serve as the EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Solid Waste and Emergency Response – a position in which she was involved with several of the terrorist threats that faced the country around 9/11. When Christie Todd Wittman resigned as EPA Administrator, Marianne served as acting administrator for several months before Mike Leavitt could be confirmed. Marianne lives in West Springfiled with her husband (who was raised in the district) and two children. (Read her announcement statement posted on Virginia Virtucon)
Steve Hunt – Steve is a veteran who previously served as an at-large member of the Fairfax School Board. He was elected to the School Board in 2003 and failed to win re-election in 2007 during a large Democratic wave. Nevertheless, during his three runs for Fairfax School Board (he ran unsuccessfully once prior to his 2003 victory), he always carried the precincts in the 37th district. He lives in the western part of the district with his family. ( He toyed with the idea of running for Congress last year when Tom Davis retired before yielding to Keith Fimian.)
Will Nance – Will is a 20 year resident of NOVA and a 4 year resident of the district. He currently works as the Executive Director of Greenspring Retirement Community – a community run by Erickson Retirement Communities that has 2,000 residents and 1,000 employees (Greenspring is just outside the 37th District). He holds an MBA from the Glasgow School and worked for several years for Chuck Colson’s prison fellowship doing fundraising and communications work. During the first Bush administration, he did advance work.
Two other Republicans, Shak Hill, a local businessman, and Mike Thompson, a longtime community activist and founder of the Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy, talked about running but recently decided against it – this could, of course, change.
The method of nomination is almost guaranteed to be a firehouse primary – with the timing depending on when Cuccinelli submits his resignation.
On the Democratic side, the most commonly rumored candidates are Del. Dave Marsden (D-Fairfax), Del. David Bulova (the only Delegate who lives in District). and Janet Oleszek (who Cuccinelli beat in 2007). Oleszek, though, has capitulated to party leaders and has said she won’t run, even though she almost won this seat in 2007. And Bulova has also said he won’t be running. This means Marsden, who doesn’t even live in the district, is going to visit U-Haul soon.
