One day, six choices

Governor: Bob McDonnell vs. Creigh Deeds
Republican McDonnell recently visited Culpeper twice in a week. The first visit was a sit-down talk with a local builder to talk about boosting employment and creating jobs. He returned to the area on Friday, rallying with fellow Republican candidates Bill Bolling and Ken Cuccinelli at the Depot.

McDonnell, 55, was first elected to the House of Delegates in 1992. He defeated Deeds by a slim margin to win the attorney general’s job and served in the post from 2006 until February, resigning to campaign full time.

During his first campaign stop here in April, McDonnell said that his initiatives will focus on making Virginia an attractive state for business at all levels, which in turn, he says will create jobs and keep the revenue generated close to home.

“I think the most important job for the next governor of Virginia is to be able to work together to bring people together across party lines to solve the problems that Virginians care about today,” he said.

In September, Deeds, a Democrat, told the Star-Exponent that if elected, his early rural experiences as a farmer and Bath County prosecutor would benefit everyone.

Elected to the House of Delegates in 1991, Deeds, 51, won reelection five times before leaving the House for the Senate. He represents the state’s 25th District, which stretches to the West Virginia border and includes the City of Charlottesville. He pointed to his legislative record as an indicator of what he plans to do to create jobs, opportunity and restore economic stability in the state.

“My focus has been — and you can look at the bills I’ve introduced — education and economic development,” Deeds said. “I’m going to stay focused on the issues I think are important, on ways we can rebuild Virginia’s economy,” said Deeds.

Profiles Compiled by Nate Delesline III

Stevensburg District Board of Supervisors: Bill Chase vs. Dewayne Payne vs. Gardiner Mulford

If reelected, Chase, 72, will be the longest serving supervisor since the Civil War, according to local historian Donnie Johnston. A Pennsylvania native, Chase came to the area about 35 years ago. Although he previously campaigned as both a Republican and a Democrat, this time, Chase is running as an independent.

“People rely on me,” Chase told the Star-Exponent during an October interview, explaining his decision to run for another term. “I still feel this county is small enough that you deal with individuals — you don’t deal in rules and regulations — and I sincerely feel if you go purely by the ordinances … you don’t need a Board of Supervisors, you just need a big book. If you have a problem, you just go in and read your book and you can go home.”

Local farmer Dewayne Payne, campaigning as a Republican, is challenging Chase, who is running as an independent. A lifelong native, Payne, 28, says he believes he has the credentials “to get something done” in Culpeper.

Mulford, a farmer, local businessman, and self-described Reagan Republican who’s running as an independent, says preserving and promoting Culpeper’s agricultural heritage will be the centerpiece of his tenure on the Board of Supervisors, if elected Tuesday.

In explaining what separates him from the other candidates, Mulford said, “The differences are philosophical. I believe in preserving open spaces, farms and watersheds as a major objective, not as a sideline, not as background noise. This is the goal, because these are things we need to live.”

School Board, Cedar Mountain: Richard Goff vs. Elizabeth Hutchins

Richard Goff, 61, a longtime pastor for Brandy Baptist Church and retired substitute teacher, is running to represent the Cedar Mountain District during the Nov. 3 election. He faces incumbent Elizabeth Hutchins. They are challenging each other for the second time in four years. Hutchins prevailed in the 2005 election.

A Culpeper native and longtime teacher, Hutchins, 53, says she wants to continue the good work and accomplishments achieved by the schools during the last eight years.

School Board, West Fairfax: John Cerio vs. Bob Houck
Appointed by the School Board in July to fill the seat left vacant following the resignation of former member Jimmy Lee, Houck is being challenged by John Cerio, a retired engineering process manager.

Cerio, 68, says he’d like a chance to use his management skills to help the school system raise test scores. Houck, 62, is a beef farmer and operator of Shirob Farm, a Stevensburg area cattle ranch. Houck’s appointment ends Dec. 31.

Lt. Governor: Bill Bolling vs. Jody Wagner
Republican incumbent Bolling is the first lieutenant governor to seek reelection since 1993. In public forums, he’s blamed Wagner, a Democrat, for the billions of dollars in budget cuts forced upon the state, saying her revenue projections as Virginia’s secretary of finance were off the mark. Wagner meanwhile, has said Bolling criticized those trying to solve the state’s budget and transportation issues without stepping forward to offer any constructive suggestions to fix the problems.

Attorney General: Ken Cuccinelli vs. Steve Shannon
Democrat Shannon, 38, a state delegate from Fairfax County, has sought to paint Republican Cuccinelli as having a personal political agenda, accusing his opponent in a recent debate of being “an ideological crusader” who favors states’ rights, a stance Shannon says led to some of Virginia’s worst eras, like secession and the fight to maintain segregation.

Cuccinelli, 41, a state senator representing Fairfax County, responded by saying Shannon is too reluctant to fight over legislative issues, describing him as a “backbencher”.

The men however, do share a few of the same ideas. Both said they support the right-to-work law and that they oppose collective bargaining by state workers. They are also in favor of drug courts to reduce the number of repeat offenders.

Virginia 30th District: Ed Scott vs. Matt Carson

Challenging Republican incumbent Ed Scott for Virginia’s 30th District in the House of Representatives, independent candidate Matt Carson said defending personal freedom would be his priority if elected.

Carson, 34, a small businessman originally from Warrenton, also told the Star-Exponent during a recent interview that he’s also interested in protecting Virginia’s waterways, reigning in government spending, and increasing personal accountability in the political arena. He also explained his decision to campaign as an independent, saying he agrees with about 90 percent of the Libertarian Party’s platform.

“I’m an independent because there is no party for me,” he said.

Scott says that agriculture, technology, transportation and the economy will be his areas of focus for the district.

Elected in 2003, Scott, 44, said it’s been his job to learn about the needs of the people of the Piedmont and take their concerns to Richmond.

Running unopposed
The following incumbent candidates will also appear on the ballot Tuesday. They are running unopposed:

- Brad Rosenberger, Board of Supervisors, Jefferson District

- Larry Aylor, Board of Supervisors, Cedar Mountain District

-George Dasher, School Board Stevensburg District

-Leanne Jenkins, School Board Jefferson District