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Contested races are taking shape for at least two of the three Rockbridge area seats in reconfigured districts of the Virginia General Assembly.
Republican Del. Chris Head of Botetourt County and Democrat Jade Harris of Rockbridge County will square off for the new District 3 seat in the state Senate. District 3 encompasses all of Rockbridge County, Buena Vista and Lexington and the counties of Alleghany, Botetourt and Craig, the cities of Staunton, Waynesboro and Covington and parts of Augusta and Roanoke counties.
Republican Del. Ellen Campbell will face Democratic challenger Randall Wolf of Augusta County for new Dis- trict 36 in the House of Delegates. District 36 encompasses portions of northeastern Rockbridge County as well as part of Augusta County and the cities of Staunton and Waynesboro.
Del. Terry Austin of Buchanan is the Republican nominee for House of Delegates District 37, which encompasses southern and western parts of Rockbridge County, all of the cities of Lexington, Buena Vista and Covington, and all of Botetourt, Alleghany and Craig counties. No Democratic or independent candidates have yet stepped forward to challenge Austin.
There will apparently be no primary races in the Rockbridge area on June 20. Last Thursday, April 6, was the deadline for candidates to step forward and yesterday, Tuesday, April 11, at midnight was the deadline for party leaders to submit the names of candidates.
The general elections for all 140 seats in the General Assembly as well as numerous local offices will be held on Nov. 7. The deadline for filing candidacies is June 20. - Three candidates are seeking to be Rockbridge County’s next treasurer, an office that is being vacated by incumbent Betty Trovato at the end of the year. The candidates are Melissa “Missy” Whitesell, a Rockbridge County sheriff’s deputy; Wendy B. Gilliam, who works at Virginia Military Institute; and Michele Clark, victim witness director in Buena Vista.
Rockbridge County Commissioner of Revenue David Whitesell is not running for re-election. Seeking to succeed him is his chief deputy, Brooke Tomlin.
Rockbridge County and Lexington constitutional officers who are running for reelection are Clerk of the Circuit Court Michelle Trout and Commonwealth’s Attorney Jared Moon. Sheriff Steve Funkhouser, whose term of office also expires this year, has not announced whether he will be a candidate for reelection.
The three incumbent members of the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors whose terms expire this year – Leslie Ayers of the Buffalo District, David Mc-Daniel of Natural Bridge and Bob Day of South River – have announced that they are running for reelection. County School Board members whose terms expire this year are Kathy Burant of the Natural Bridge District, Wendy Lovell of Buffalo and Neil Whitmore of Walkers Creek. Burant is running for reelection.
Buena Vista Mayor Bill Fitzgerald is not running for re-election. Seeking to succeed Fitzgerald as mayor is City Council member Tyson Cooper. City Council members whose terms expire this year are Stanley Coffey, Steve Webb and Cheryl Hickman. Coffey is running for reelection. School Board members whose terms expire this year are Wayne Flint, Teresa Ellison and Mac Felts.
In Glasgow, the terms of Mayor Paul Williams and Town Council members Tom Camden, Lisa Rogers and Andrea Bradley all expire this year.
The terms of office for all six members of the Natural Bridge Soil and Water Conservation District expire this year. They are (from the county) Reid Macky and Tim Goodbar, (from Lexington) Larry Hurd and Charles Winder and (from Buena Vista) Rob Deyo and Herbie Huffman. Huffman has completed the paperwork to be a candidate in this year’s election.
