A Norfolk lawyer is challenging an incumbent from the Eastern Shore to represent a sprawling coastal district that stretches from the Maryland state line to the Wards Corner area.
And he’s amassed an impressive war chest with which to wage his campaign.
Phil Hernandez Jr., a 32-year-old Democrat who lives in Willoughby, has raised nearly four times more than incumbent Rob Bloxom Jr. in the lead up to the Nov. 5 election — roughly $615,000 compared to $156,000 through the end of September, according to campaign finance data from the Virginia Public Access Project, a nonprofit that advocates for transparency in campaign financing.
But this isn’t Bloxom’s first time getting dwarfed by his opponent when it comes to money. In 2017, his Democratic challenger raised more than $243,000 to Bloxom’s $78,000, but fell short at the ballot box. Bloxom eked out victory with 52% of the vote, compared to opponent’s 48%.
Hernandez said the first issue he’d focus on as a lawmaker would be public education, specifically raising teachers’ pay. Bloxom said he would revive two bills that died in the General Assembly’s last legislative session. One would allow non-citizens to get a driver’s license; the other would allow local governments to collect taxes on hotel rooms and campgrounds in state parks.
The 100th, which stretches south from the Virginia-Maryland border into Norfolk to include Willoughby Spit and other neighborhoods in both the Ocean View and Wards Corner areas. It also includes the island of Tangier.
The district has leaned slightly blue since at least 2016, when 49% of voters there opted for Hillary Clinton, compared to 47% for Donald Trump.
The Virginia Public Access Project has labeled the district “competitive.”
Bloxom, who owns several small businesses on the Eastern Shore including two auto supply stores, was first elected in a 2014 special election after Democrat Lynwood Lewis decided to pursue a state senate bid instead of seeking reelection.
https://public.flourish.studio/resources/embed.js
Question
What would be your first bill (or budget amendment) if elected (and why would it be at the top of your list)?
Rob Bloxom (R)
Rob Bloxom: I have two bills that are ready to file that did not pass in the 2019 General Assembly. One is collecting Transient Occupancy tax on State Parks and the other is a driver’s privilege card for non-citizens. However, my main focus will be on a budget amendment to construct a replica of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle hangar similar to the one the state built on Wallops Island. The UAV hangar on Wallops Island has a backlog of projects that is a year and a half long. Not all of these projects are top secret, but all do require the closed air space that is surrounding Wallops Island. The closed air space is a mile from the Melfa airport. This move would address any overflow from Wallops and push the jobs south into Virginia away from the Salisbury Airport. I am working with the Melfa Airport, the FAA, and the county to figure which portion of the project the state would need to fund in order to make this a reality.
Phil Hernandez (D)
Phil Hernandez: For me, it starts with education. I’ll work to invest in our public schools and increase teacher pay. Virginia ranks as one of the wealthiest states in the nation, but we’re investing less in our public schools than 10 years ago, when we were in the midst of the recession. At the same time, teacher pay lags behind the national average, which means Virginia has a teacher shortage and retention problem. I’ll also champion the “atrisk add on program,” as it provides critical additional funding for school districts—like those in Norfolk and the Eastern Shore—with high concentrations of poverty. I’ll also fight for more affordable healthcare, including for the 3.4 million Virginians with pre-existing conditions and those those struggling to pay medical bills, bring home good jobs that pay a living wage, pass the Equal Rights Amendment, and make the Commonwealth a leader in renewable energy and coastal resiliency, while protecting the Chesapeake Bay.
Question
What should the state do about sea level rise/flooding?
Rob Bloxom (R)
Rob Bloxom: The state needs to set the groundwork to allow the Army Corps of Engineers to construct sea walls and sea gates around Norfolk. The rough plan is in place but there is a conflict with the state owning the bottom grounds and the City of Norfolk owning from the low water mark upwards. We are in negotiations to find a solution. The state also needs to fund the flood mitigation bank so that private homeowners can borrow money for no or low interest loans to floodproof their homes. The other part of the problem for the 100th District is to allow the residents of the Eastern Shore to retreat gracefully. The restriction of any activity in the Resource Protection Area (RPA) doesn’t make sense if in a matter of decades the RPA will be under tidal waters daily. We need to be allowed to defend our homes and roads. Another issue the state needs to examine is the new regulation from the Health Department for installing and maintaining sewage systems. The water table regulation is keeping people from having their systems inspected and maintained for fear of them being condemned.
Phil Hernandez (D)
Phil Hernandez:Addressing this challenge is critical not only to our way of life in Coastal Virginia, but also for many of our key industries in the region, including tourism, agriculture, aquaculture, and for our military. We have to do two things at once. First, we have to make our community more resilient to the changes that are already happening. I’d like to see this region become a national center of excellence when it comes to coastal resiliency. That means we would prioritize advanced infrastructure—along with natural solutions, like living coastlines—to better manage water in our communities, support research capabilities at places like ODU, VIMS, and the Coastal Research Center, and attract private sector partners to develop innovative technologies in our region. Second, we need to speed the transition to cleaner sources of energy. In recent years, the General Assembly has blocked legislation aimed at promoting clean energy in the Commonwealth, which creates uncertainty for businesses that hope to invest in Virginia and create jobs. Virginia risks falling behind if we do not create clear policy goals, like a strong clean energy standard.
Jonathan Edwards, 757-598-3453, jonathan.edwards@pilotonline.com
