Challengers face long odds against incumbents in Norfolk council races

NORFOLK

Challengers for the City Council's two superward races admit that they are long shots to upset well-financed and popular incumbents in the May 6 election.

In Superward 6, Barclay C. Winn, a two-term incumbent, is being challenged by Jack Stiles, a political consultant. Stiles, who is running a self-financed campaign out of his Ocean View apartment, has rejected all but one invitation to debate Winn and is campaigning door-to-door.

Winn, who runs a family-owned nursery, faced a similar candidate four years ago and won handily.

In Superward 7, Councilwoman Daun S. Hester, seeking her fourth four-year term, may face a more formidable challenge from Dwight McDowell.

McDowell, a retired 17-year Navy veteran, is vice chairman of the city's Recreation Board, has years of volunteer work as a coach in recreation programs, has debated Hester and has yard signs in many neighborhoods.

The races, being waged in two diverse sections of the city, have had few issues in common. Superward 6 covers most of the city's majority-white neighborhoods, from affluent Ghent to blue-collar Little Creek Road. Superward 7 holds most of the city's majority-black neighborhoods.

The shared thread has been the incumbents' claim that they should be re-elected because of their experience.

Winn said he has steered more city money into Wards Corner and other neighborhoods, while supporting real-estate tax cuts and downtown development. "We've done a lot of good work, and can't afford to change course," he said.

Stiles has called for tax cuts, an elected school board and the firing of City Manager Regina V.K. Williams.

Hester points to her support for after-school programs at Lake Taylor and Lafayette-Winona middle schools, establishment of a city program to aid minority and women-owned businesses and continued development along Church Street and in other fragile neighborhoods.

McDowell favors tax cuts and more spending for neighborhoods and crime prevention.

Hester and McDowell traded jabs at a recent candidates' forum at the Attucks Theatre. McDowell drew cheers with his call for tax cuts, and said he was the "unity candidate" who would end divisiveness on City Council.

"He has been trying to say I don't bring people together," Hester said. "I disagree. And on the issues in Superward 7, he has no clue."

McDowell said his common sense would make up for what he lacks in knowledge. "She speaks like a council member," he said. "I speak like somebody who is in the community, who shares the values and concerns of people in the community."

In background checks of candidates, The Virginian-Pilot discovered that McDowell filed for bankruptcy in 2005, listing 48 creditors.

McDowell said he made a series of financial mistakes upon leaving the Navy and that his affairs are now in order.

Hester said, "He's got to account to the public for that."

Questions also have been raised about whether McDowell resides full time in the superward. The state Division of Motor Vehicles indicated that McDowell lives in East Ocean View, outside of the ward, according to records provided by the city Commissioner of Revenue's office. Liens filed against him in 2006 list his address in East Ocean View.

McDowell said he has lived in East Ocean View as well as Virginia Beach, but that he now lives in Superward 7. He said he moved three months ago from his mother-in-law's house near Norfolk State University to a house in Norview - both in Superward 7.

For Hester, the past four years in office have been her most controversial. Council members stripped her of the vice mayor's position two years ago after she opposed the city's plan to elect a mayor and was accused of trying to recruit opponents to run against Councilman Paul R. Riddick.

Last year, she was criticized for lobbying the School Board on behalf of a company seeking a contract to run an alternative program for troubled public school students. She was paid by the company, a conflict of interest since the council appoints School Board members.

Hester, an educational consultant, has apologized and said she did not realize there was a conflict. She expressed frustration at what she perceives as extraordinary scrutiny from the media.

"Whenever Daun seems to do anything," she said, "it's an issue."

Harry Minium, (757) 446-2371, harry.minium@pilotonline.com