In the end it wasn’t all that close … State Senator John Edwards will return to Richmond in January after beating back a well-financed opponent on November 3.
Edwards, a Democrat, beat Republican challenger Nancy Dye by more than 3000 votes in the sprawling 21st State Senate district that stretches from Roanoke City to Giles County. Independent Don Caldwell, the Roanoke City Commonwealth’s Attorney and long time Democrat who broke ranks to run against Edwards was a distant third.
Earlier on election day, Governor Terry McAuliffe, Attorney General Mark Herring and Lt. Governor Ralph Northam made a swing through Roanoke, urging people to get out and vote.
McAuliffe was hoping that statewide the Democrats could pick up one more Senate seat for a 20-20 tie with the GOP, but that didn’t happen and Republicans maintain a 21-19 majority – as well as a sizeable edge in the House of Delegates.
“We just fell short tonight,” said Dye, “but I do think that we brought some of the very important issues in the 21st district to the forefront.” Edwards says the barrage of negative ads run against him on behalf of Dye – much of it with money from outside groups like Americans for Prosperity – was not what voters wanted to hear.
“I’m in sync with the district in terms of where it wants to go… I really was not surprised [by the outcome].” Edwards said his positive message and pointing to accomplishments like the Higher Education Center and bringing Amtrak to Roanoke resonated with voters in the 21st district.
In the 19th State Senate district newcomer David Suetterlein, just 30 years old, will succeed Republican Ralph Smith, who is retiring after two terms. Suetterlein, Smith’s long time legislative aide, easily trounced Democrat Mike Hamlar and independent Steve Nelson.
“There will be a lot of issues we will be working on. SOL reform is a priority for me,” said Suetterlein on election night.
Local delegates including Chris Head, Greg Habeeb and Sam Rasoul had no opposition but in Roanoke County there were several squeakers, with incumbent Clerk of Circuit Court Steve McGraw (a Democrat) besting Republican challenger Tom Roe by 29 votes – before any recount.
Charlotte Moore lost her bid for a third term as a supervisor from the Cave Spring district to George Assaid by 3 votes; on election night Moore said she wasn’t thinking about calling for a recount. In Catawba, Martha Hooker overtook longtime incumbent Butch Church for the supervisor’s race.
Thomas McCracken is the new school board representative in Catawba while former supervisor Mike Wray will join the school board in Cave Spring. Roanoke County police Sgt. Eric Orange, running as a Republican, bested incumbent Democratic sheriff Charlie Poff.
Gene Marrano
