Independent files to run against Scott in statehouse

Del. Ed Scott, R-Madison, just got some competition.

Matt Carson, a small-businessman originally from Fauquier County, filed Tuesday in Culpeper to run as an independent against the Republican incumbent in November’s race for the 30th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates.

Scott, 43, originally from Culpeper, has represented the district, encompassing Culpeper, Madison and Orange counties, since 2004. He was previously running unopposed for a fourth term.
But Carson, 33, says he wants to give voters a choice.

Founder of and an officer with SiteWhirks Inc., a Web development company in Warrenton, he is a graduate of Fauquier County High School and holds a degree in political science and history from West Virginia University. Carson grew up in neighboring Fauquier before moving to Culpeper four years ago. He has a wife and 2-year-old daughter.

Carson, who has never sought elected office, said Tuesday that his “number one” reason for running is the state of the commonwealth’s finances — “the fact that Virginia finds itself in debt, once again.”

“I want to run on fiscal responsibility,” he said, describing himself as “a local boy” and “100 percent independent.”

Though not previously involved in politics, Carson mentioned varied civic involvement, including serving on the board of the Eastern Blue Ridge Fly Fishers Inc. He named “environmental stewardship” and “the rights of outdoorsman” as issues of priority for him.

Carson said he’s also interested in taking the party out of politics and putting the people back into it.

“I just want to put something different out there — another option,” he said, adding that some tend to blame a political party when things go wrong. “I am a fan of bringing peoples’ names forward. I think we are better served if politicians are named by name — that old Mac Jones did this or Joe Smith did that.”

Carson feels there is not only room enough for a third party of independents, but also “a new opportunity.”

“That’s what I heard out there while gathering signatures — people would like other options,” he said, adding that he wouldn’t officially start his campaign until late July when he plans to launch a Web site.

Scott, reached by phone Tuesday, said he had heard that someone might run against him, but that it didn’t alter his focus.

“I was planning to run a campaign and to ask the voters to send me back for two more years, and this really doesn’t change my plans significantly,” he said.

Scott added that he had some unfinished work to do in the House of Delegates, emphasizing the need for fiscal responsibility.

“We have got to work at the state level to maintain a responsible budget in the current economic climate and to continue to do what we can at the state level to grow jobs,” he said.

Scott said he also wants to continue to work to solve local and statewide transportation issues as well as health care challenges. A graduate of Culpeper County High School, Scott holds a degree in animal science from Virginia Tech.

For years, he worked as a manager at the Culpeper County Farmers’ Co-Op before recently changing careers. Scott now works as director of operations at Locust Grove-based Eco Septics, a septic system maintenance company. He has a wife and daughter.