What’s long been a reliably Republican Virginia House seat representing parts of Chesapeake and Virginia Beach is suddenly in play this election, after redrawn lines have left the 81st District split dead-even between voters on either side of the aisle.
Barry Knight, a Virginia Beach farmer and Republican who has represented the district since winning a special election in 2009, aims to beat back a challenge from Democratic newcomer Len Myers, a first-time candidate and consumer rights lawyer from Chesapeake.
Even with the new demographics and projections of a Democratic wave across the state, Myers will have an uphill battle against Knight, an established incumbent who has parlayed a decade in the statehouse into some significant committee assignments and comes into the race with a much larger war chest.
One of the biggest questions for the next General Assembly is how it should respond to the mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center.
According to a poll by The Washington Post and Schar School, gun policy is the number one issue Virginia voters are concerned about heading into this election. The majority of people polled supported some kind of gun control measures, but those fired up about guns were split pretty evenly between being supporters of Democrats and Republicans.
Knight, who lives in Pungo, is an avid hunter and a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment. “I believe additional gun laws wouldn’t have prevented his actions,” he said of Dewayne Craddock, the gunman who killed 12 people at the Virginia Beach municipal center on May 31 before being shot dead by police.
However, the Republican said he “would never dig my heels in on anything” and always goes into the legislative session with an open mind.
“Maybe some red flag laws that are structured the right way, I would absolutely listen to them,” Knight said, referring to measures that exist in some states allowing police or relatives to ask a court to order that weapons be temporarily taken away from someone who may be dangerous.
Myers said he would back a slate of gun control measures if he were elected — including banning high-capacity magazines and silencers, reinstating the one-gun-per-month purchase limit, universal background checks and a red flag law.
The Democrat said his experience as a consumer rights lawyer dealing with the “little guys” who “get cheated” by big business is part of what prompted him to run and consumer protections are a major focus.
In particular, Myers wants to tackle healthcare costs and explore options like capping copays for insulin, which he said has been successful elsewhere.
Both candidates said one of the most pressing issues specific to the district is marshaling resources to deal with flooding, which afflicts many areas in the 81st regularly.
The current 81st district traces a U-shape from the Bowers Hill area of Chesapeake, down through southern Chesapeake and Virginia Beach and up along the coast to the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.
Under the lines drawn in 2011, the district was solidly Republican, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Donald Trump carried that version of the district with 51% of the vote in 2016’s presidential contest, to Hillary Clinton’s 43%, and Knight had roundly defeated any challengers he had since first winning the seat.
However, a federal judge struck down those 2011 districts because of how they concentrated minorities, which means new boundaries for this year’s election. The new 81st, which includes less of central Chesapeake and more of western and northern Chesapeake, is now split evenly between Republican and Democratic voters, giving Myers a better shot at the seat than Knight’s previous opponent.
“They’ve taken a big majority of my farmers away from me,” Knight said. “It’s the worst gerrymandering I’ve ever seen.”
Despite the leftward shift in the district, Knight still has a major advantage in the financial race — he had five times as much cash on hand as Myers as the race headed into October.
Question
What would your first bill or budget amendment be if elected to the General Assembly?
Barry Knight
Barry Knight: During the Special Session, I drafted bills for tax exemptions victims and families of the May 31st shooting for any relief payments or probate taxes, and also for grants and loans to assist in the costs of renovations of Building 2 where the incident occurred. They have been referred to the Committee on Appropriations where I serve and these are my first priority legislation to support and pass when we convene in Richmond.
Len Myers
Len Myers is very concerned about the burden of healthcare costs on fellow Virginians as well as the protection of coverage for pre-existing conditions. Len is also committed to finding relief against the meteoric rise in prices on prescription medications. That is why when Len is elected, he intends to immediately introduce a bill to cap health insurance copays for life-saving prescription drugs like insulin to no more than $100 per 30-day supply. Virginians should not have to risk their lives trying ration vital medications they can no longer afford.
Question
How should the GA respond to the mass shooting at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center?
Barry Knight
Barry Knight: I respect that the Police Chief acknowledges that none of the laws proposed could have prevented what happened in on May 31st. I was respectful and careful not to politicize the tragedy and be as helpful as I can. Even with the latest information on the ongoing investigations, no motive or answers have been released as to why this man chose to murder people in our city offices. I believe additional gun laws wouldn’t have prevented his actions.
Len Myers
Len Myers believes the best way we can support the long-term recovery of the survivors and their families as well as the families of the victims of this awful tragedy is to honor their lives by implementing commonsense gun safety measures such as universal background checks, red flag laws, and banning gun silencers like the one used in the shooting . While we cannot eliminate gun violence, we can certainly do better to protect the lives of neighbors and our loved ones while also protecting our 2nd Amendment rights.
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Ryan Murphy, 757-446-2299, ryan.murphy@pilotonline.com
