See all of our candidates for the House of Delegates here.

Our friends at Bearing Drift have been doing an excellent job keeping track of all the advances Republican candidates have been making.  They are also featuring House of Delegate candidates they have interviewed over the last several months.  Be sure to jump there and check them out.

Republicans have 84 candidates in total on the ballot this year.  That includes incumbents in uncontested races, incumbents in contested races, open seats and Republican candidates challenging Democrat incumbents.

Meet Ernesto Sampson - Candidate for the 69th District

More jobs. Better schools. Public safety – Ernesto Sampson

Who could disagree with that?

All politicians want to create employment, improve education and ensure that we are safe in our homes, workplaces and streets. The real question is, when we go to the polls, who do we vote for to ensure that these promises are delivered at a federal, state and local level?

Ernesto Sampson, a Richmond financial adviser and mentor to area youth in the Richmond community is running for public office in the 69^th District for the Virginia House of Delegates this November 3^rd and espouses the above policies.

I followed Mr. Sampson on the campaign trail Saturday knocking on doors and speaking to local area residents about the issues that concern them. No surprise that jobs, health care, law and order and education were the top of most people’s lists. Nary a word about Iraq or global warming. People are hungering for someone who is looking out for them on a local level.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS4b-f-nOlI

There is much chatter around water coolers and web sites about the rejuvenation of interest in politics in recent months.

Out on the streets of the Fan District this weekend with Ernesto it was palpable.

Running for election as Delegate for the 69^th District is hardly comparable to running for the Oval Office and leader of the free world, but it’s running for elective office all the same. And it’s infectious; just ask his team of over 30 enthusiastic supporters who turned out in force to knock on well over 2000 doors and introduce the candidate to the community when they could have been doing something else on a sunny Saturday. But they were there and happy to be supporting Sampson.

Ernesto Sampson will be on the ballot in November 3^rd as a candidate for a district that straddles both sides of the James River from Floyd Ave in Cary Town down Hull Street Road into the heart of Chesterfield.

On a political, personality, policy and historical level the result of the 69^th District will be under the psehological microscope.

If voters turn out in areas of Richmond and Chesterfield Counties in a certain way; is this sending a message to the current Administration or are they voting for a candidate who has their best interests at heart? I say both.

Given his career as a financial adviser who graduated from the Virginia Military Institute with a B.A. in economics and finance, Sampson sees daily the ramifications of the current economic climate and is disturbed with the trend in unemployment and high-school drop outs, which correlates directly with an increase in crime.

Ernesto Sampson is passionate about creating and saving jobs. In his own personal career he is qualified to understand both the intricacies and the basic current economic climate and how it affects the average ‘Joe’ and his 401K and other investments. He also advises small business owners in the community on how to navigate the economic cycle by giving them the tools they need to grow their business, maintain revenues in fluctuating economic markets and increase staff as their company expands.

As former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill famously said “All politics is local.”

We worry about the potholes in our streets, our children’s schools, our garbage collection and more importantly, our safety. We also worry about whether we will wake up tomorrow to our job or, if we have been laid off recently, whether we can find some semblance of employment to provide for ourselves and our families.

Ernesto Sampson says “The needs of our community are many. But through my upbringing, my work, and my involvement in my home community, I have learned that waiting for politicians to solve our problems just doesn’t work.”

As a resident, mentor of youth, and a proponent of small business interests in the 69^th District Community, Ernesto is eager to support, represent and be the Voice his Community. According to campaign staff, Ernesto and his ‘Street Team’ have visited over 8,000 residences within his district since the beginning of June, with plans to visit every residence before the election.

This will be an interesting contest to watch; not just for those voters in the 69^th District but those in the Commonwealth and the rest of the country.

Link to Examiner.com

Thursday, August 6, 2009
CITIZEN JOURNALISM: Veteran vies for Virginia House

Bill Card SPECIAL TO THE WASHINGTON TIMES

Retired Air Force Col. Richard L. Anderson is running to be the delegate for Virginia's House 51st District. The Republican will compete for the seat in a November election against Democratic incumbent Paul F. Nichols.

Service to the nation is a "calling," said Col. Anderson in an interview with The Washington Times, held at the headquarters of the Prince William County Republican Committee. He is fueled by the same inspiration that pushes people to be doctors, nurses, police officers, firefighters, ministers and teachers, he said.

The candidate was born and raised in Roanoke. He was interested in politics throughout his youth. He received a degree in political science from Virginia Tech.

Col. Anderson was in the Air Force for nearly 30 years, rising from an ICBM launch crew commander and ending his career as the military assistant to the deputy undersecretary of defense for technology, security and national disclosure in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Shortly after he retired from the Air Force this year, he decided to run for office. He had many options but felt a great pull toward public service.

Col. Anderson has an extensive support network for his endeavor. His wife, Ruth, is retired from her role as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force and is active in the local Republican Committee, serving as its secretary and the president of Prince William Republican Women. His former colleagues, both in the Air Force and many in the other services, have given both spiritual and financial support for his campaign. The constant relocation in a 30-year career have provided a large contingent of former neighbors, friends and church members who have offered encouragement.

Col. Anderson has been working the phones and knocking on "thousands of doors," he said. He has discovered that Virginians have four major issues on their mind.

"Transportation, traffic and congestion" are at the forefront of their concerns, said Col. Anderson. He seeks to bring improvements "not with paving but rather with transit." He blames politicians in Richmond for not crafting substantive solutions and admits that transportation is one of many issues that made him want to get involved.

The next major concern is jobs, he says. He wants to protect existing jobs and put the unemployed back to work mostly by keeping taxes low, producing more energy and encouraging businesses that hire more workers.

Virginians are also concerned about the economy, he said. He said that transportation, jobs and the economy go hand in hand: If you improve one, you positively affect the others. He has been talking to the business community and thinks that it will be the small businesses that will pull us out of our current economic problems. He stated emphatically that "we must preserve, protect and defend" small businesses.

The fourth issue that Col. Anderson is hearing most at front doors is education. He is keenly aware of how budget cuts and the reduction in classroom assistants is affecting the quality of education. One teacher told Col. Anderson that he was spending $1,500 a year of his own money for classroom supplies. The candidate is indignant that senior staff members in the school system appear to be self-interested rather than making improvements for those who work hard in the classroom.

When Col. Anderson was asked what he wanted to tell men and women in the Air Force who might be thinking about following in his footsteps into politics, he replied without hesitation: "Do it. Americans have been running for office since the beginning of our nation. The motivation to run has been as varied as the people who run. However, for those who love their country, there is no better way to exhibit that love than to run for office."

• Lt. Col. Bill Card is retired from the Marine Corps. He and his wife live in Dumfries, Va.
Link to Article

Find Will on the Internet:

Website:http://will2009.com/ ]]> http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/will-morefield-for-the-3rd-district/feed/ 1 http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/anne-b-crockett-stark-for-the-6th-district/ http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/anne-b-crockett-stark-for-the-6th-district/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:49:44 +0000 VA House GOP http://www.vahousegop.com/?p=309 Delegate Anne B. Crockett-Stark was first elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2005. She currently serves on the Health, Welfare & Institutions, Science and Technology and Counties, Cities & Towns committees. Her work in the House of Delegates has focused on economic development, education and health care issues. Delegate Crockett-Stark represents the Counties of Bland, Giles, Pulaski, Tazewell and Wythe in the General Assembly.

Find Anne B. on the Internet:

Website:http://www.annebcrockett-stark.org/

Facebook ]]> http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/anne-b-crockett-stark-for-the-6th-district/feed/ 1 http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/david-a-nutter-for-the-7th-district/ http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/david-a-nutter-for-the-7th-district/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:49:29 +0000 VA House GOP http://www.vahousegop.com/?p=313 Dave Nutter is seeking reelection to his fifth term in the House of Delegate where he serves on the Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions; Science and Technology; Militia, Police and Public Safety; and the Joint Commission on Health Care.

Dave has focused his attention on several core areas: enhancing access to rural health care; expanding options for career and technical education; expanding support for science and technology; and providing access to broadband technology to rural communities. This past year Dave also started the bipartisan Tourism Caucus comprised of House and Senate members interested in promoting tourism in the Commonwealth.

Find David A. on the Internet:

Website:http://www.davenutter.com/

Facebook ]]> http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/david-a-nutter-for-the-7th-district/feed/ 1 http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/troy-bird-for-the-11th-district/ http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/troy-bird-for-the-11th-district/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:49:12 +0000 VA House GOP http://www.vahousegop.com/?p=319 Troy Bird is an average joe who is for a prosperous Roanoke Valley. He understands the issues that are facing the people of District 11 on a day-to-day basis, because he has faced them himself. Troy is Pro-Energy, Pro-Jobs, Pro-Growth, and wants to secure our children's future with better education for them today.

Find Troy on the Internet:

Website:http://www.troybirdfordelegate.com/

Facebook ]]> http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/troy-bird-for-the-11th-district/feed/ 1 http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/bill-cleaveland-for-the-17th-district/ http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/bill-cleaveland-for-the-17th-district/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2009 18:48:48 +0000 VA House GOP http://www.vahousegop.com/?p=324 Bill Cleaveland of Botetourt County has emerged as the Republican Party’s nominee following a five-way primary election. Bill, a fiscal and social conservative, has lived in the Roanoke Valley for more than 30 years. He is a practicing attorney (private practice) and has served as a substitute judge for 14+ years. Bill is planning a vigorous campaign against his Democrat opponent, who is closely aligned with the Clinton faction of that party—all this taking place right in Dickie Cranwell’s backyard.

Find Bill on the Internet:

Website:www.billcleaveland.com

Facebook ]]> http://www.vahousegop.com/2009/06/bill-cleaveland-for-the-17th-district/feed/ 1