NEWS

Va. Shore: Candidates speak at Woman's Club forum

Carol Vaughn
cvvaughn@delmarvanow.com
Laura Belle Gordy, left, chats with Spencer Murray and Richard Ottinger after a candidates' forum held at the Woman's Club of Accomack County in Onley, Virginia on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015.

Most candidates running for political office on the Eastern Shore of Virginia spoke at a well-attended forum held Oct. 15 at the Woman's Club of Accomack County.

The "Meet the Candidates" program is an annual tradition for the club, which earlier this year marked its 90th year.

Laura Belle Gordy, who also is the incumbent on the Accomack County Board of Supervisors in Electoral District 7, was program chairwoman.

"This is an occasion for the guests and the members to get to know who you are and what you are running for," President Bea Nelson said.

The forum was one of several held on the Shore in anticipation of the Nov. 3 election, which includes General Assembly and county offices.

The Northampton County Branch of the NAACP and Bayview Citizens for Social Justice held a meet and greet the candidates night at Giddens' Do Drop Inn in Weirwood Oct. 8, and Citizens for a Better Eastern Shore held three candidate forums — one for General Assembly candidates and two for local candidates — in late October.

Candidates for contested offices were invited to participate in the Woman's Club event.

Speaking were Senator Lynwood Lewis, Richard Ottinger, Delegate Robert Bloxom Jr., Willie Randall, Stephen Corazza, Jack Gray, Laura Belle Gordy, G. Cabell Lawton IV, Kay Lewis, Paul Muhly, Richard Hubbard, H. Spencer Murray, Bruce Jones Jr. and Garrett Dunham.

Virginia Senate 6th District

Two candidates for the Virginia Senate 6th District seat — Incumbent Lynwood W. Lewis Jr., an Accomack County attorney and Democrat, and Republican challenger Richard H. Ottinger of Norfolk — were first to speak.

"I want to make sure that the economy here is as robust and successful as it possibly can be," Ottinger said.

Noting his wife is a former teacher, he called for "a strong environment for our educators" and higher teacher salaries.

Ottinger also called for renewed focus on economic diversification.

He committed to opening an office on the Eastern Shore if elected.

"Most of you know me," said Lewis, who has represented the Eastern Shore in the General Assembly, first as delegate and then as senator, since 2003.

"Let me tell you about some of the things I've been proud to work on when I was in the House and now for the year and a half that I've been in the Senate," Lewis said, noting bringing broadband to the Shore as a highlight.

He also is proud of "being present at the creation when we took the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport to its next level in the Kaine administration."

Lewis noted his role in obtaining funding through a budget amendment for a $6 million unmanned aerial vehicle runway on Wallops Island.

"This is going to be a huge economic driver as we seek to figure out how to integrate that technology into the civilian airspace," he said.

Lewis also noted he sponsored a town hall meeting last fall on Route 13 safety and said the Virginia Department of Transportation is conducting a study, due in April, to address that.

"It has been a pleasure to serve you," Lewis said.

House of Delegates 100th District

Two candidates for the Virginia House of Delegates 100th District seat spoke next.

"I thoroughly enjoyed my first two years in office," Robert S. Bloxom Jr. said, noting he was familiar with the office because he watched his father, Robert S. Bloxom Sr., fill the seat for years.

Among accomplishments Bloxom noted was helping obtain funding for the UAV runway at Wallops.

"I'm asking for your vote; I'm asking for your support," he said.

Challenger Willie Randall said he is running for the office "not for personal reasons, but to help my community."

"All my life I've given myself for public service. On the battlefield, I've been conditioned and trained to lead my comrades, and now I want to do the same thing for my community," he said.

Randall, a businessman and former Northampton County supervisor, cited his experience in business and the military.

"There are certain things that drive my passion, and one of those things is children," he said, noting education is "extremely important" to him.

He cited helping bring universal preschool education to Northampton County Public Schools as county supervisor.

Randall also noted his membership on the Riverside Shore Memorial Hospital Board of Directors for eight years and the more than 3,500 uninsured Shore residents.

"Expanding Medicaid just makes so much sense, so that we can help those folks with no insurance," he said.

Economic development also is important to him, Randall said, adding the Northampton board's efforts to lower Bayshore Concrete's taxes some years ago helped the company thrive — it went from 35 employees then to over 400 today.

"That's the leadership this district needs," he said.

Northampton County

Two candidates for Northampton County Commonwealth's Attorney spoke. Bruce Jones Jr., the incumbent, has held the position for 24 years, after he was asked to run for the office.

"It turned out that was my calling...I know the work is very, very important," Jones said, adding he is endorsed by Northampton County Sheriff David Doughty and former Sheriffs Wayne Bradford and Jack Robbins.

Attorney Garrett Dunham is challenging Jones.

"What I'm offering is a slightly different option," Dunham said, proposing creation of a drug court program for non-violent offenders.

"The hope would be that these people could be rehabilitated," he said.

Two women are running for Northampton Commissioner of Revenue, after Ann Sayers retired.

Charlene Gray has 36 years in customer service and is a registered tax preparer.

"I will focus on ushering in a new level of customer service," she said.

Bonnie Wilson Lewis also is a candidate. She grew up in Cape Charles and began working in the Commissioner of Revenue office in 1980.

"We work for the citizens of the county," she said.

Two Northampton County Board of Supervisors seats are up for election.

In District 4, incumbent Richard Hubbard faces challenger Spencer Murray.

Hubbard said his primary concern "continues to be the economic improvement of all Northampton County residents."

Murray spoke in favor of cutting the size of government. "We have to cut red tape," he said.

Two candidates for District 5, where Larry Trala did not seek another term, are Robert Duer and Gwen Thompson. Neither attended the forum.

A form for political candidates  in the Nov. 3 election was held at the Woman's Club of Accomack County in Onley, Virginia on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2015.

Accomack County

Steve Corazza, a business owner, is challenging incumbent Ron Wolff in District 2 in Accomack County.

Corazza, of Greenbackville, said it is his first opportunity to be in the political arena.

"There needs to be much more emphasis on the small, private businessman," he said.

Wolff, an Atlantic restaurant owner, was not at the forum.

District 4 incumbent Kay Lewis of Lee Mont said she has been working for several years on drainage problems in the district, which also has more docks and ramps than any other district.

She noted she made the motion to give $2 million for a new public library and is involved in planning for a new Parks and Recreation facility.

Challenger Paul Muhley of Parksley, who retired after a 40-year career in the printing industry, said he is running "to bring full-time representation to the bayside district...They deserve a strong voice at the county level," he said.

Incumbent Jack Gray is challenged by Harris Phillips in District 5.

Phillips was not at the forum.

Gray, who is retired and is running for his third term, noted his three decades of experience as an educator.

Two issues he highlighted are getting private roads upgraded and using existing buildings, such as the former Accomac Primary School, where possible to meet county office space needs.

In District 7, incumbent Gordy faces a challenge from G. Cabell Lawton IV.

Lawton has more than 25 years' experience in local government, part of which comes from his service as the current town manager of Onancock. He said if elected he will focus on economic development. 'We have to make sure that the investments that take place...are the right ones." He noted water and sewer service and broadband are marketable assets in the county.

He also said education to enable the local workforce to meet companies' needs is important. "I believe that education is the way to lift rural communities out of poverty," he said.

Gordy first ran for county supervisor in 1987. "It's something that gets in your blood," she said, noting constituents asked her to run for another term.

"I have given you my best for all the years I've been on the board," she said.

She noted accomplishments including the replacing of greenbox trash receptacles with manned convenience centers; the coming of a new hospital to the district; completion of the taxiway at Wallops Research Park; the new bridge to Chincoteague; and the solar farm coming to northern Accomack.

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