Rockingham’s Chris Runion Announces for HD-25

Chris Runion’s announcement was made Wednesday at the Bridgewater Town Hall and Government Center.

Rockingham Clerk of Court Chaz Haywood

On this Ash Wednesday, Rockingham Supervisor Billy Kyer introduced Chris Runion to the packed room.

Surrounded by supporters including his wife, Rockingham Clerk of Court Chaz Haywood, Rockingham Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson, Rockingham Treasurer Todd Garber, Rockingham Commissioner of the Revenue Lowell Barb, Rockingham Supervisor Pablo Cuevas, Rockingham Supervisor Rick Chandler, Bridgewater Town Council member Fontaine Canada and other Republican Party leaders.

Candidate for 25th House of Delgates district Chris Runion hands a yard sign to a supporter.

Wednesday’s press conference was everything a new candidate for public office would want: a good crowd to pack the room, a list of supporters willing to stand publicly with their candidate, good media coverage, and yard signs ready to go out the door.

Rockingham businessman Chris Runion is officially a Republican candidate for the 25th House of Delegates district. Standing in front of a full Bridgewater Town Hall public hearing room, he smiled at the crowd and said, “The fee is paid. The form is filed. Now it’s time to go!”

There is a 5:00 p.m. filing deadline Wednesday afternoon for Republican candidates who want to run in the firehouse primary to be held on April 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The district includes parts of Albemarle, Augusta, and Rockingham counties. Voting locations, one in each county, are listed below in the press release.

Press release from Chris Runion for Delegate campaign….

Shenandoah Valley native Chris Runion announced his Republican candidacy for the 25th House of Delegates District on Wednesday.

Runion was introduced by Rockingham County Supervisor Billy Kyger at his announcement in the Council Chambers of Bridgewater Townhall surrounded by his family and dozens of supporters including Rockingham Clerk of Court Chaz Haywood, Rockingham Sheriff Bryan Hutcheson, Rockingham Treasurer Todd Garber, Rockingham Commissioner of the Revenue Lowell Barb, Rockingham Supervisor Pablo Cuevas, Rockingham Supervisor Rick Chandler, Bridgewater Town Council member Fontaine Canada and other Republican Party leaders.

“I want to thank Delegate Landes for his many years of exceptional service. His dedication to education issues and his important role in crafting Virginia’s budgets are examples of a true Virginia statesman. It’s a legacy that I hope to emulate and attempt to fill the large shoes that he is leaving.” said Runion.

Runion and his wife Jennifer live on a small farm near Bridgewater where Chris owns and operates Eddie Edwards Signs. The Shenandoah Valley native attended Virginia Tech for a B.S. in Accounting and received his MBA from JMU. After college, he settled in Rockingham County, worked for a large poultry company for a decade before acquiring a small business, raised a family, and has led a number of community organizations in Shenandoah Valley.

“It is this passion for serving the community that has compelled me to seek to expand my impact as a member of the House of Delegates. I was raised here in the Valley, I’ve run my business and raised my family here, and I know many of the issues facing the people of the 25th District because I’ve worked on them in a number of roles over the years,” said Runion.

Runion has served as Vice Chair of the Rockingham Republican Committee and been involved in several GOP campaigns in the Shenandoah Valley.

“I have known Chris as a friend and local businessman for over 20 years. In working with Chris I have found his judgment and business experience to be exceptional. He is a hard working individual, a great husband and father, and a highly respected person in our community- a person who I am very proud to support for the 25th House of Delegates district,” said Kyger.

Voters will choose the Republican nominee for the 25th House of Delegates District in a Firehouse primary on Saturday, April 27th, from 10 am to 4 pm. The 25th House of Delegates District is made up of parts of Albemarle County, parts of Augusta County, and parts of Rockingham County.

Augusta County Voting Location
Augusta County Government Center: 18 Government Center Lane, Verona, Virginia, 24482
Precincts in HD25: Crimora, Dooms, Fishersville, Fort Defiance, New Hope, Verona, Weyers Cave, Wilson

Rockingham County Voting Location
Bridgewater Town Office (Arey Assembly Hall): 201 Green Street, Bridgewater, Virginia 22812
Precincts in HD25: Port Republic, Grottoes, Massanetta Springs, Crossroads, West Bridgewater, Montezuma, Mt
Crawford, North River, Ottobine, East Bridgewater

Albemarle County Voting Location
Crozet Library: 2020 Library Ave, Crozet, VA 22932
Precincts in HD25: Brownsville, Crozet, East Ivy, Ivy Jack Jouett, Mechums River, Yellow Mountain

Chris Runion is a longtime Republican, small business owner, and community leader from Rockingham County. Born and raised in the Shenandoah Valley, Chris has served his community as Vice Chair of the Rockingham County Republicans, on the Rockingham County Planning Commission, as a member of the NFIB State Leadership Council, President of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of Shenandoah Valley Economic Education, and in the Rotary, most recently as the District Governor during the 2016-2017 term. Chris and Jennifer, his wife of 38 years, live on a small farm outside the town of Bridgewater.