Rockingham’s 11 Candidate Clerk Race
Today the CRFV begins its analysis and prediction of races across the Commonwealth. Make sure to contact Kevin Bolling if you have a race you would like to cover. There are more to come.
This post has been modified to focus on the dynamics of the race. The race has many interesting rumors surrounding it, but these issues will not decide who will ultimately win.
With a cool salary of over $120,000 and an eight year term, Harrisonburg and Rockingham County’s Clerk of the Court position has gained a level of interest rarely found in a constitutional office. The exceptionally high salary and the length of term is a throwback to the Byrd Machine and the way it controlled the government of Virginia. The current Rockingham Clerk is a Democrat who has held the position for 24 years and has done a rather mediocre job.
The incumbent’s retirement from the position has invited eleven, count em, eleven to run for the office! Even with 11 folks running, there has not been one specific issue that all candidates have to answer to. The candidates universally suggest a general technological upgrade of the Clerk’s office, but without general disagreement or debate on one issue, the main focus on the race has been the grassroots efforts of each candidate, fundraising, connections, and party perks.
The turnout for the race will be rather low due to a lack of a federal or even a statewide race. In fact, the local State Senate and House of Delegates races are not making that much noise. Senator Mark Obenshain (R) and Delegate Matt Lohr (R) seem to be working their way towards relatively easy re-elections.
Without a major issue or a big race in the area that will drive voters to the polls, the number of personal connections will be a serious reason for election day success.
Of the 11 candidates, most agree that only three candidates have a reasonable shot of winning the race. These include Republican Chaz Evans Haywood, Democrat Diane Fulk, and Independent Mike Harvey. Others have not raised the cash or do not have the grassroots and name exposure in order to carry enough votes.
Chaz has the money advantage at the moment. Fulk has some late money coming her way due to an upcoming fundraiser with Mark Warner. Diane Fulk’s name ID is high because her husband ran twice for the House of Delegates, both unsuccessful. Harvey has the endorsement of the current clerk and he has a fair number of signs throughout the district.
The other eight candidates are an assortment of people with different backgrounds. Most of the other candidates are considered a threat to the Republican because they are either Republicans themselves or have many connections in that community. None of these folks challenged Chaz in the Republican nomination process, but several letters to the editors in the local paper have suggested one candidate or the other is the “real Republican”.
Other candidates happen to have colorful pasts or have made unique campaign promises. One hopeful just so happens to be a former Playgirl model and then there is a blogger turned contender who has pledged to donate $50,000 of his yearly salary to charity!
To keep up with the race a Rockingham County Mennonite farmer turned avid blogger turned candidate for Clerk, Myron Rhodes aka Republitarian, keeps the local community updated with his terse posts. Be warned, Rhodes isn’t much of a Republican. For kicks I have posted a picture of his campaign signs. I figure I would post it here because nobody can read it as they drive by!
The Republican Chaz Evans Haywood will win the race. His signs are everywhere, he has extensive experience in staff management (worked for Sen. Allen + Rep. Goodlatte), and has a military background. He has all the qualifications necessary and is a hard campaigner. In a dark red area of Virginia he should carry this race even with several independents situated to steal votes from him because they have Republican credentials.
This post was written by AdamRBitely on September 23rd, 2007.
Comments: 12
Comments
Comment from republitarian
Time: September 23, 2007, 6:36 pm
VERY funny…
I’d say you summed it up pretty well…
however, I must disagree with you on being able to read my signs. I put all my advertising dollars in signs at intersections were people have to slow down for lights. I placed it out at the fairgrounds because I knew people would be backed up that far. I waited 45 seconds in front of that sign to get in.
Comment from republitarian
Time: September 23, 2007, 6:57 pm
BTW… “He’s not much of a republican”
Should I be?
Sorry, I can’t bring myself to vote for some of the incompetent, poor excuse for candidates that you guys run some times…
or go along with stupid policies like Abusive driver fees, no child left behind, or no car tax trickery….
How’s your daddy? I talked to him about running for senate….Has he made up his mind yet?
Comment from Anonymous
Time: September 23, 2007, 7:47 pm
funny read…i don’t know why we elect clerks in the first place in VA, but I would say Chaz hardly had experiece to take over the office, what he does have is the Allen endorsement (or kiss of death depending on how you view it)….regardless, it will be a toss up between him and Fulk…depending on if the other 300 canidates dilute the vote….
Comment from King Richard
Time: September 23, 2007, 8:12 pm
One of the signs that Mr. Rhodes has on 33-east in Harrisonburg cannot be read while driving & watching other traffic.Try it, you can only read about half before you have to look back at the highway on that section of road.Of course its easy to read it if you ALREADY know what it says.
As far as Mr. Rhodes occupation, it should be noted that he is a FARM HAND,not a FARMER.
As far as the blog that he ‘runs’, it should also be noted that he couldnot/cannot do this on his own.He has a person that is advising his every decision from questions about the COC office to how to run his own campaign. Mr. Rhodes is very easy to influence.
Do we really want a person in the COC office that cannot make their own decisions on even minor issues?
Comment from Grozet
Time: September 23, 2007, 8:34 pm
I do not have much comment on whether or not the Clerk position should be an elected position. But let’s presume it is not elected. Who would get a second interview?
Take it from this standpoint and Chaz is the clear favorite. As the ad in the DNR last week said, just because you know a bit about one of the Clerk’s offices does not mean you know how to manage the department.
Chaz has the ability to lead (military experience), he has had to deal with a myriad of issues that come from all backgrounds (constituent representative to the Valley for Sen. Allen), and he has a clear vision for how the office will change under his leadership.
Who else has this?
Comment from Anonymous
Time: September 23, 2007, 8:50 pm
Do you have any source on this alleged “stripper” incident besides the blog of one of the other candidates?
Comment from Whackette
Time: September 23, 2007, 10:08 pm
Richard, as you know Benny already tried the Farmhand vs Farmer argument and he failed miserably. Not that it has anything to do with the race.
Where are you getting the “information” you presented in the third paragraph? If I’m right about who you are, I have a pretty good idea where you are getting it and you shouldn’t trust such people.
Personally, I think the majority of those running would do a fine job if they are elected, but I don’t think it should be an elected position to begin with. Nor should it pay so much.
Comment from Justin
Time: September 23, 2007, 10:30 pm
I’m not voting solely on the fact that this is a resume job and has absolutely nothing to do with politics.
Comment from Grozet
Time: September 24, 2007, 12:04 am
part of this post has been deleted in order to focus on more important aspects of this post.
Comment from Anonymous
Time: September 24, 2007, 7:53 am
Wonder where they get their info from. Mike Harvey raised the most money of the independents??? Blogger better go back and take a close look at the DNR again. Without a party backing, wonder who would have the most exposure and raised the most money. Probably an independent. Maybe we should look at it like that.
Comment from Fu Man Chu
Time: September 24, 2007, 9:12 am
As nice as Mr. Chaz’s military experience is, I’m not sure it has a direct translation to the Clerk’s office? Sure, discipline, organization, and so forth are good attributes to bring to any job…but let’s not kid ourselves, Mr. Chaz will soley rely on aides/ assistance to keep float for a while (like several others if they were to win as well)…Obviously Chaz is one of Allen’s former “blue eyed blonds” and he looks very nice in a tie and he has a nice haircut too, also he seems to be a nice guy and I have no doubt that he could come up to speed in the Courthouse in short order…but let’s face it Chaz is running on Macacawitz’s Valley reputation, period. And this is the essence of his qualfication (and his major campaign theme), and why not? afterall this is a POLITICAL position, and Chaz feels that his POLITICAL allignment will win him this 100K + gig; can’t say I blame him, all is fair in war in politics right?
Still, if I were Chaz I wouldn’t start measuring for curtains just yet, as previously mentioned this is going to be a highly fractionalized vote, and thus very, very unpredictable; almost anything could happen…
But really, whomever wins…who really cares in the first place???!!!!!
Comment from Anonymous
Time: September 24, 2007, 5:21 pm
So if you elect a Republican clerk, does he use Republican paper clips and apply conservative philosophy to how he collates papers?
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