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After Del. Ronnie Campbell received his cancer diagnosis and began his journey fighting it, recalled his wife Ellen, “we found ourselves in frequent prayer and discussion, talking about the concept of legacy.”
That legacy, said Ellen Campbell, the Republican nominee for her late husband’s state legislative seat, included “devot[ing] his life to service – as a husband, father, grandfather, state trooper, member of the Rockbridge [County] School Board and Board of Supervisors and member of the House of Delegates.”
In making the announcement to run for her late husband’s seat, two days after his Dec. 13 death, she said she wanted to continue this legacy. “I am proud of Ronnie’s legacy and of everything we did together,” she said. “The Shenandoah Valley is a better place because of his tireless efforts to serve his constituents, to support small businesses, parents’ rights in their children’s education, our law enforcement officers and to protect our freedoms.”
If she is elected in the special election next Tuesday and takes her seat in the House of Delegates the next day when the General Assembly convenes for the 2023 session, one of the first things she plans to do is support a bill that her late husband prefiled in November. HB 1380, known as the “traffic stop bill,” would undo a law enacted in 2020 that forbids law enforcement officers from pulling over motorists for several specifically stated minor traffic offenses such as driving a vehicle with an inoperable brake light or a faulty muffler. HB 1380, she said, “is an important piece of public safety legislation, enabling the enforcement of traffic violations. This bill will allow law enforcement officers to do their jobs in our local community and will lead to a safer community.”
Like her husband, she said, she is a staunch advocate for lower taxes. “One of the best ways to maintain vibrant, growing communities is to support a low cost of living for families,” she noted. “Our combined state and local tax rate is 5.75 percent. There are 10 states who rank lower than us, including our competitor states such as North Carolina and Georgia. According to a recent published study, Virginia ranks as the 14th best state to start a business. We need to move [to] improve the cost of living and doing business in Virginia, and I will work to lower taxes to reinvigorate our economy.”
She said she is a strong supporter of law enforcement officers: “One of the key functions of government is the protection of the citizens. In Virginia we accomplish this by supporting and funding law enforcement officers who have been mistreated and underpaid for numerous years. To change course – we must offer our law enforcement officers pay raises immediately.”
On education, she said she wants to play a role in improving students’ test scores. “With our students’ standardized scores at the lowest levels they have ever been, we must focus on teaching our students how to critically think as opposed to teaching them what to think. This is done through restoring excellence in education by siding with parents and their rights and implementing high expectations for our students. We must attract and retain the best educators as well. Teachers need better pay, access to the latest technology and [a] most rigorous curriculum.”
Campbell said she wants to improve the state’s system for providing mental health services. “Many of the crises we face in our communities, such as addiction and domestic violence, stem from an underlying, undiagnosed mental health issue. Access to these services must be expanded to support the health and welfare of our citizens and families.”
Of the role government should play in safeguarding the environment, she cites biblical scripture, Genesis 1:28: “God calls on us to be good stewards of the Earth. This divine mandate obligates us to protect our natural resources for future generations.”
In addition to being a supportive spouse of a state legislator the past few years, her life experiences include a 30year career in banking. In this job, she said, “I have assisted countless families and business[es, helping with their] saving for college, buying a home or car, securing funds for a business startup, operating lines, etc. Through this career, I have learned what conditions are necessary for a vibrant economy and the various needs of families.”
Various positions she has held in the banking industry include vice president of retail banking, branch manager and retail lender. She worked previously for CornerStone and BB&T banks, and, most recently, as a rural home and agricultural lender for Farm Credit of the Virginias.
A native of Verona in Augusta County, she is a 1987 graduate of Fort Defiance High School. She holds a bachelor of science degree in business administration from Averett University and is a graduate of The Virginia Bankers School of Bank Management at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business.
Summarizing her reasons for seeking election to the House of Delegates, Campbell said, “Our citizens want safe communities, the best schools, a strong economy and expect limited government. For the past five years I stood by my husband as he fought to ensure these liberties.” Her hope, she said, is to “continue his legacy of conservatism, represent limited government, and [tireless service to] the residents of the 24th [District].”
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