I haven’t voted yet, but will after work. In the meantime, here’s a few things I’m going to be paying attention to in tonight’s returns:
1. Chesterfield County. The local races for the Board of Supervisors has been particulary heated and the main issue is growth. The Roanoke Times has taken a look at absentee ballot requests across the state and finds that Chesterfield has seen absentee requests double over the 2003 races. Money from developers has been an issue here and it’s possible that supporters of slow- and no-growth candidates could be sufficiently motivated to overcome the gloom of a Central VA day to head to the polls in substantial numbers.
2. The Waddell/Loupassi race in the 68th. Waddell won a squeaker last year over the unlamented Brad Marrs. She was supposed to be a goner when former Richmond city council president Manoli Loupoassi moved into the district and took up the challenge. But Waddell has refused to fade under Manoli’s well-financed campaign and has even hit back with real vigor. She had cable television ads up early, but Loupassi has responded with network ads. It will be close and events in the local Chesterfield races could have a huge impact on the final results.
3. Ralph Smith v. Mike Breiner in Roanoke. Smith spent very little to upset incumbent Brandon Bell in the primary. But Breiner has raised a truckload of money and run an aggressive campaign. LTG Bill Bolling was in the area recently to give the Smith campaign a big check and local GOP activists a tongue-lashing over the closeness of this race.
4. Stuart v. Pollard. You can’t vote for either canduideate in Richmond, but their ads have been all over the local airwaves. Both men come across as entirely likeable in their spots, but there’s a lot of backstory here that will finally play itself out at the polls. Angry (or perhaps merely bitter) conservatives distrust Stuart and a few big name Republican donors have actually been writing checks to Pollard — just as they have in the Peterson/Devolites-Davis race in Fairfax County. Outgoing incumbent John Chichester has been writing checks to Democrats…it’s a cats and dogs, sleeping together, kind of situation that looks and sounds like it came right out of the kindergarden playground.
There are plenty more worth watching tonight, and the fate of the universe stands in the balance!
Well, not really. The deck chairs will get shuffled, but the ship of state will plod on through the waves just the same.
Which is depressing…except when you consider the possibility that the next General Assembly could feature both disbarred lawyer/amatuer boxer Joe Morrisey in the House and “get the government out of education” Trish Stall in the Senate.
It just might be like the old days of the Richmond city council — colorful, bombastic, and utterly embarassing.
