Comeback complete for Portsmouth councilman Whitehurst

PORTSMOUTH

A former city councilman who was narrowly defeated as a write-in candidate four years ago has regained his seat.

Charles B. Whitehurst Sr. received the most votes Tuesday. Voters also supported incumbents Elizabeth Psimas and Steve Heretick. Councilman Ray Smith was defeated. Smith, also a former School Board member, has been on the council since 2004.

Whitehurst, who ate with supporters at Paddy O'Briens restaurant in downtown Portsmouth on Tuesday night, said he wants to push for better pay for the city's public safety employees, among other things.

"People asked me to come back because they were not satisfied with what was happening," Whitehurst said. "I'm going to do what I'm supposed to do and support the citizens of the city."

Whitehurst was first elected to the council in 1998. Four years later, he received more votes than any council candidate in Portsmouth history. In 2006, he withdrew just before the filing deadline in the race, then ran unsuccessfully as a write-in candidate.

This year, the retired city treasurer and retired U.S. Marine major came in second in fundraising in the race. He received what was by far the largest single donation in the race - $10,000 from state Sen. L. Louise Lucas.

The money became an issue at a recent candidates' forum.

Lucas wants to build a $65 million hotel project in the city and is seeking $13.5 million in cash and tax breaks. Whitehurst said that he invested $2,500 in Lucas' proposed hotel and conference center at Victory Village Business Park. As of December, Lucas has raised about $1.8 million from about 600 black investors for the project. Before the project can go forward, the council will have to vote on it.

Whitehurst told the forum's audience that he would recuse himself from voting on the project if he were elected to council.

Psimas and Heretick said they saw their apparent victories as validation that a majority of Portsmouth voters are pleased with the council's vision for the city.

Five challengers sought three at-large council seats.

Incumbents Heretick, Psimas, and Smith emphasized the city's economic development successes during their watch and their support for spending on schools and efforts to improve the city's financial health.

All candidates supported raises for the city's public safety employees.

Challengers Steve Carroll, Jim Ellis and Whitehurst questioned the incumbents' spending and the city's increasing real estate property taxes. They also claimed that the incumbents were not responsive to citizens' needs.

Paige Cherry and Terry Morrison emphasized pay increases for public safety employees and more money on schools and for neighborhood repairs.

Fundraising was down since the last council election in 2006, though candidates again received the highest donations from local business leaders.

Psimas raised the most of all the candidates, with $37,509. She received at least $4,300 in donations from members of the marine industry.

By comparison, in 2006, Doug Smith raised $77,704 and won a seat.

Staff writer Cheryl Ross contributed to this report.

Jen McCaffery, (757) 446-2627, jen.mccaffery@pilotonline.com