When the redistricting plan approved by a wide margin in the House of Delegates moved minority leader Ward Armstrong’s 10th District to Northern Virginia, some commentators–like Bearing Drift‘s own Norman Leahy–wondered if we had seen the last of “The Little Red Hen”. Today we have our answer: no.
“One of the things my father and mother taught me is to always stand up for what is right,” Armstrong said in his announcement statement. “Which is why I have been an outspoken advocate for the people of Southside and Southwest Virginia over my time in the General Assembly. Folks here work hard, go to church, serve the community, treasure our families, play by the rules. We’ve taken some knocks the last few years — with a bad economy made worse by greedy special interests who prey on us when we’re down. Which is why it’s so important for folks here to have a forceful voice in Richmond. The wealthy special interests have plenty of friends in Richmond. But I work — and fight hard — for the people’s interests, not the special interests.”
Standing in front of the Ferrum Veneer Corporation plant where he once worked, Del. Armstrong announced his intention to move his “people vs. the powerful” schtick to the neighboring 9th House District to challenge freshman Republican Delegate Charles Poindexter.
“Much of the newly constituted 9th house district is the old 10th House District,” Armstrong said. “It contains western Henry, which I have represented for 20 years and Patrick County, which I have represented for 10 years. Moreover I represented southern Franklin County in my first 10 years in the House which included Ferrum and Henry. So despite what anyone might say over the coming months, this area is home. I was born here and raised here, and my family’s roots in this area go back over 160 years.”
In that, Del. Armstrong is correct. Charles Poindexter, a longtime member of the Franklin County Board of Supervisors, won the 9th District seat in 2009 with nearly 80 percent of the vote against token third-party opposition in a district that was comprised primarily of Franklin County, with parts of Pittsylvania and Floyd counties. The new 9th District gives up part of northern Franklin County and adds all of Patrick County and approximately one-third of economically hard-hit Henry County. On paper, these alterations only make the district 1.1 percent more Democratic, but in reality, Del. Armstrong’s move into the 9th will make holding the district a challenge for the GOP.
In 2009, Del. Armstrong won almost 58 percent of the vote in Patrick County and performed even better in his part of Henry County. Joining those constituents in a new district, coupled with Del. Poindexter’s loss of part of his Franklin County base will make this election the fight of Del. Poindexter’s political life. Del. Poindexter, or “Charlie” as he is affectionately known by his constituents, is an excellent public speaker and a superb retail politician; he will be well-prepared to meet the challenge posed by Del. Armstrong. The question remains: will his new constituents be willing to listen to Del. Poindexter’s message of limited government and economic liberty or will they prefer to stick with more of the same with Del. Armstrong?
With two political titans clashing in the 9th, expect this race to be one of the hottest in Virginia in 2011.
