Republican announces bid to unseat Sen. Houck

Just over a week after the 2010 election, one of next year’s biggest campaigns has begun in the Culpeper area.

Republican Bryce Reeves of Spotsylvania County has announced his candidacy for the 17^th District in the Virginia Senate, a seat held since 1983 by Democrat Edd Houck, also of Spotsylvania.

The district includes all of the counties of Culpeper, Madison, Orange and Louisa and part of Spotsylvania and the city of Fredericksburg.

Reeves, 43, is scheduled to be at the Depot in downtown Culpeper Saturday at 10:30 a.m. during his campaign kickoff tour. Other stops include: Lake of the Woods’ Holcomb Building at 9 a.m., the Country Store on Church Street in Madison at noon, and the Chestnut Hill Bed and Breakfast on Caroline Street in Orange at 2 p.m.

Reeves said Tuesday during a telephone interview that getting a quick jump on the 2011 campaign trail is going to be important for next year’s elections. He’s the first to announce plans to challenge Houck.

“You have got to get out and meet the people where they are, and that’s what we’re doing with our round robin tour through the district Saturday,” said Reeves, who describes himself as a small businessman who will focus on “bringing back common sense conservative principals” to government.

“I believe that working at the local level on the issues is very important, rather than having the top-down approach that has been going on. I look forward to working with our congressmen on Capitol Hill on the issues and how they will affect us here in the 17^th, especially Cap and Trade, which could really affect our area farmers.”

According to press information from the candidate’s website, Reeves is president of Bryce Reeves Insurance and Financial Services Inc. and Reeves Assets Management Group, “a commercial real estate development firm with holdings in Stafford County.”

He served as an Army Ranger, attaining the rank of captain, and in the Prince William County Police Vice/Narcotics Bureau as a front-line detective.

Reeves also serves as a deacon and Bible studies leader at the Spotswood Baptist Church in Fredericksburg. In 2007, he was elected chairman of the Spotsylvania County Republican Committee.

He has been regional chairman for Americans for Prosperity and has been commissioned by Gov. Bob McDonnell to serve on the Governor’s Military Advisory Council and the College Building Authority.

Reeves holds a master’s of public administration in public policy from George Mason University and a bachelor’s in industrial education from Texas A&M. He lives in Spotsylvania County with his wife, Anne, and their two children.

When asked if the timing was right for a conservative candidate to challenge Houck, Reeves replied, “Absolutely.”

“If you look at the district as it is now, it went almost 70 percent for McDonnell,” he said. “It’s a conservative district.”

At the same time, he views himself as a political realist who acknowledges “compromise is key in government to moving policy forward.”

“A lot of times in politics you’ve got to look at the ebb and flow,” he said. “And I think it’s time for a leadership change.”

Meet Bryce Reeves

Party: Republican

Employment: President of Bryce Reeves Insurance and Financial Services Inc.

Education: Master of public administration in public policy; B.S. in industrial education

Home: Spotsylvania County

Family: Wife, Anne; two children

Website: brycereeves.com

Kickoff tour: Reeves is scheduled to be at the Depot in downtown Culpeper Saturday at 10:30 a.m. Other stops include: Lake of the Woods at 9 a.m., the Country Store in Madison at noon, and the Chestnut Hill Bed and Breakfast in Orange at 2 p.m.