A Democratic state senator who’s spent nearly 15 years in the General Assembly representing the rural Eastern Shore and urban Norfolk is facing a challenge from a Republican who wants to bring her experience as a small business owner to Richmond.
Sen. Lynwood Lewis, 57, is a lawyer and moderate Democrat who has championed legislation to address sea level rise in the 6th Senate District, which encompasses the Eastern Shore, Chic’s Beach, half of Norfolk and Mathews County. He first took over the district during a close 2014 special election to newly elected Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam’s Senate seat. Prior to that, Lewis represented the 100th House District for a decade.
His challenger on Nov. 5 is Elizabeth Lankford, 35, who owns Blue Crab Bay Co., a specialty nuts, stoneware and Bloody Mary business on the Eastern Shore in Melfa.
Lewis handily won re-election in 2015. The next year, he created the Virginia Shoreline Resiliency Fund, a revolving loan program aimed at helping homeowners and businesses elevate their properties to prepare for sea-level rise.
But there hasn’t been any dedicated funding. Lewis has vowed to find some next year if re-elected.
Last year, Lewis wanted to create a regional group in Hampton Roads — similar to the Hampton Roads Transportation Planning Organization — to deal with sea level rise, land subsidence and coastal flooding. His bill was killed on a party-line vote in a House subcommittee meeting.
He also wants to hire more staff to help the governor’s special adviser on coastal flooding, a position another 2018 bill of his created.
His other priorities have been eliminating gerrymandering by creating an independent redistricting commission — he voted this year in favor of the Republican bill that does this — decreasing the school-to-prison pipeline and increasing teacher pay.
Lankford’s campaign focus has been on improving the economy, especially for small business owners. She said there hasn’t been enough business development in the district, partly because of infrastructure problems, limited broadband access and outdated septic and sewer systems contributing to flooding.
She said she wants to see more of an emphasis on school technology and trade schools. At a recent forum in Ghent, she said she’s “looking into” how to fund school infrastructure, an issue the General Assembly took up last session but didn’t take any action on.
“We already have a tight budget,” she said at the forum. “We’re going to have to keep digging and keep looking (for funding).”
Lewis said he supported upgrading schools through a $3 billion bond referendum proposed by Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin, last session. That bill failed in committee.
The candidates disagree on whether to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment in the constitution. Lewis has voted for it every time it’s presented to the Senate; Lankford said she supports “every part of it” but felt “we already have all those pieces in place” and said she would vote against the amendment.
Lewis said he supports gun law changes including universal background checks and “red flag” laws, or extreme risk protection orders. Lankford said she would have to look at red flag laws — which have varying degrees of restriction for potentially dangerous gun owners — on a case-by-case basis. She did not give a position on universal background checks.
Both agreed mental health is a component of gun violence and want to look at ways to improve Virginia’s mental health system.
Both also said they supported bills that eliminate descrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Such legislation has either been left in committee meetings or killed by Republicans in the past.
“Everybody makes their own choices in life,” Lankford said at the forum. “I’m not here to judge you. What you want to do with your life is fine by me.”
She said she supports a woman’s right to choose but was “disgusted” by a bill presented last year that loosened restrictions on abortion. It included reductions to how many physicians must sign off on third-trimester abortions when the woman’s life is in danger.
“I find late-term abortion offensive,” Lankford said.
Lewis said he supports a woman’s right to choose and said all healthcare decisions should be between a woman and her doctor.
Lewis has almost $100,000 cash on hand as of Sept. 30, compared to about $39,000 for Lankford, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. His campaign’s top donors include the state’s Democratic party, the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association, and the National Association of Realtors, from which he’s received $25,000.
Lankford’s top donor is her father, Thomas Lankford, who contributed $20,000. She’s also had some financial help from top Senate Republicans like Sen.Tommy Norment, R-James City.
Republicans hold a 20-19 majority in the Senate, with one vacancy in Virginia Beach’s 7th District.
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Marie Albiges, 757-247-4962, malbiges@dailypress.com
