It’s been more than 20 years, but voters in Virginia’s 5th Senate district will get to see two names on the ballot.
The district’s incumbent, Democrat Lionell Spruill Sr., 72, has held the seat since a special election in 2016.
Before he took the seat, it was long held by unchallenged Democrats. Voters will remember Yvonne Miller serving in the post for many years.
Jeff Staples, who’s running as an independent, is mixing that up.
The 58-year-old auto mechanic, originally of Lynchburg and a current Chesapeake resident, wanted to put his name in to give voters a choice.
“That’s not democracy,” Staples said of unchallenged races in the district, which is split between Norfolk and Chesapeake.
Staples is known for being involved in fighting the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. He’s also voiced his concern about the Southside Connector Distribution Pipeline, a natural gas line that passes through some neighborhoods in Chesapeake. Staples says it passes close to some schools, churches and homes in low-income and minority neighborhoods in the Senate district.
“It’s just a disaster waiting to happen,” he said.
Spruill has also stood against the connector pipeline, having participated in protests. A section of the pipeline runs through his Georgetown neighborhood in Chesapeake. He also helped facilitate meetings between city, state and federal officials and the local civic leagues and neighborhoods impacted by the pipeline.
Staples’ uphill campaign has been unable to keep close to Spruill’s cash on hand. Spruill’s war chest was $65,100, according to most recent numbers from Virginia Public Access Project. Staples had $586.
Staples said he’d fight for raising the minimum wage, pointing out West Virginia’s is $8.75 an hour while Virginia’s is $7.25.
As for plans to build a casino in Norfolk? He does not support it.
“I worry about the gentrification of surrounding neighborhoods and would like to see a property tax freeze for current owners,” Staples said in an email.
If a casino is built, he said he’d like guarantees for local residents to get placed in casino-related jobs.
For Spruill, important issues include education, lowering crime rates and helping fund and train more police officers.
He said some schools in Norfolk, like Booker T. Washington and Maury highs, should be either replaced or renovated. Spruill said he is working with Norfolk Mayor Kenny Alexander to address the funding for those two schools, and plans to work to find a dedicated funding source for school repair and construction in the upcoming session.
Spuill was recognized last year by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals for a bill he introduced that would require dog owners to have adequate shelter for their pets during hot and cold weather as well as require longer tethers when a dog is tied up.
The bill — SB1025 — became law.
The Democratic Party has had control of Senate District 5, and incumbents have run uncontested in the general election, dating back to 1995.
That year, a Republican challenger ran against Yvonne Miller, losing the November race by about 13,000 votes. Miller would hold the seat until Kenny Alexander took over in 2012.
Alexander was elected mayor of Norfolk in 2016, necessitating the special election won by Spruill.
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Lionel Spruill
Jeff Staples
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Lionel Spruill
Jeff Staples
Gordon Rago, 757-446-2601, gordon.rago@pilotonline.com