CHESAPEAKE
Two years ago, city voters were angry over rising property assessments and real estate taxes.
And they took it out on the three Republican council incumbents, who were ousted from the board.
Chesapeake Republicans got the message.
Drawing on the resources of party power brokers such as Shirley Forbes, the wife of U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, they used that anger over real estate taxes to mobilize the city's conservative voters on Tuesday.
Candidates Debbie Ritter and Rick West, who say they relied on Shirley Forbes for brochure guidance and campaign advice, were the second- and third-highest vote getters in a heated 15-way race. Each won a four-year seat on the council.
Republican candidate Alan Krasnoff won the mayor's race. And another endorsed Republican, incumbent Patricia Willis, won a two-year seat on the council.
West, a first-time council candidate, said he would like to think he amassed more than 10,000 votes because of his great campaign speeches and platform. But he acknowledged the role played by his party and, particularly, by Forbes.
"Being Republican was very, very important," said West, a retired school principal.
Rep. Forbes and West have known each other since the second grade, and Shirley Forbes wrote a letter to the editor in West's support. She also gave him advice on campaign brochure design, how much money to spend on advertising, and where to send direct mailers, he said.
"Whenever I really got into a jam, I could call and get her opinion," West said.
West and other party candidates and officials note that Forbes was part of a carefully organized Republican campaign.
"I think the majority of the citizenry of Chesapeake is conservative, whatever that means," said Pete Burkhimer, the new chairman of the Chesapeake Republican Party. "They want as little money spent for public purposes as possible. What is spent, they want spent efficiently."
Burkhimer was one of the three incumbent council members ousted in the 2006 election. He said all of them advocated for lower taxes and spending. Problem was, they didn't communicate that to voters, he said.
That changed this year. Krasnoff's mailers, especially, stressed a low-tax platform, officials said. "It always boils down to two things. Dollars and cents," one of his mailers stated.
That emphasis, too, could be traced, in part, back to Forbes.
Burkhimer said Forbes helped "frame the whole concept" that the Republican-endorsed candidates went with.
Ritter said Forbes reviewed some of her literature and other campaign moves. Forbes' voice was on a robo-call urging residents to vote for Krasnoff and other Republicans.
Ritter said all of the Republican candidates benefited from Forbes' "experienced voice, from someone who's been involved in a great number of campaigns."
"She has a wonderful political mind, a wonderful set of political instincts. And she lent that generously to this campaign," Burkhimer said. "Had we not had her help, we would have still mounted a very good campaign, no question about it."
At the Republican celebration Tuesday night, Burkhimer pointed to the quality of the candidates.
Ritter, a former councilwoman, and West, a long-time principal, had wide name recognition.
Another key, insiders said, was a vigorous door-to-door campaign that motivated Republican neighborhoods to get to the polls.
Former Mayor William E. Ward, who helped coordinate the Democratic council ticket's campaign this year, pointed out that turnout was as high as 24 percent in the Pleasant Crossing and Bridgetown precincts, helping carry the Republican candidates. In both precincts, West topped all the candidates in votes.
In Pleasant Crossing, Krasnoff picked up 200 more votes than Councilwoman Rebecca Adams, an independent whose mayoral candidacy was supported by the Democrats.
On the other hand, traditionally Democratic precincts such as Georgetown had 16 percent turnout in the council race. Ward said these were people who voted in huge numbers for presidential candidate Barack Obama in the February primary, but "stayed home for local Democrats" in the council race.
"Certainly, it's disturbing to me," Ward said. "Obama is not going to come pick up the garbage and lower taxes in Chesapeake."
Mike Saewitz, (757) 222-5207, mike.saewitz@pilotonline.com
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Republicans: You need a new attitude
Now that we are nearing the end of our sentence with George W. Bush I would like to say something to the Republicans: You need to understand that all people are created equal. Make your laws and your issues powered by compassion, serenity, grace and acceptance towards all people from all walks of life, regardless of race, creed, color and economic status. The attitudes and methods by which you have operated in the past will no longer work in the new future. Gladly the end of an era is near. An era in which the more powerful and privileged worked to keep the disadvantaged down, maligned and despairing.
If you truly say you are for the people, then stop operating from your ego and operate from your heart. Stop the division of the masses with your "us- versus- them mentality." Your old political world and methods are crumbling and along with it go all of it's injustices, unfairness and scape-goating.
It's a new day - wake up. Your old ways won't work anymore and guess what - God is watching.
Republicans create a dictatorship in Chesapeake
Does anyone remember about 8 years ago when one of Randy Forbes political minion(s) tried to pass a bill making it a crime for any woman who suffered a miscarriage in the city of Chesapeake, and therefore making it mandatory that they contact the police department and file a report that they indeed had suffered a miscarriage?
This bill was prompted by the minions working under Forbes. This is the political flavor now saturating this city. Is this the kind of government you want in this city? Any woman is a potential criminal by the mere fact that she can get pregnant and that she can potentially miscarry for a myriad of reasons thus resulting in thrusting her into the judicial arena as a potential criminal and subject her to prosecution.
FOlks, there is more of this punitive, damning, shame based thinking and law making coming down the pike and I urge all of you level headed, sensible people to stand up for your rights as human beings and citizens of Chesapeake. Enough is enough.
It's time to stand up and let your voice be heard against these unreasonable assaults on human rights and freedoms, and this is what it is= an assault.
The time to remain quiet is over. Republican
FYI
Saewitz writes: "It always boils down to two things. Dollars and cents," one of his mailers stated. "That emphasis, too, could be traced, in part, back to Forbes." Saewitz, I don't know where you get your information, but I was present when the "dollars and cents" phrase was first pitched as an idea for the letter. Randy and Shirley were not part of that meeting! Shirley and Randy did give good advice to candidates, but this was not a part of it.
Victorious Republicans
I would like to comment on Tuesday's local elections. The people of Chesapeake sent a message to the Democratic party. We will "rally the troops." We are always faithful to our party and our causes. Also, to the comment about George Bush, what does he have to do with the local politics in Chesapeake? It's just another nasty attack against the conservatives by the far left. Here's a message to the Democratic Party, "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it!"
good change
So a few republicans flip-flopped and became fiscal conservatives. It's a start.
Another regime in full swing
They shouldn't call it the Republican Party
they need to call it the Republican Reich
Virginia Beach Council is Next!!
Let's say goodbye to "TaxemDorf" and her "Crew".....
Va Beach needs to identify the Party
We can see the difference in turn out when candidates party affiliation is know. Keeping your party a secret as in VB creates the low voter turn out we currently have at the Beach, and allows special interest groups like Myra and Sessoms to remain in power and the builders to control city government. The VA Constitution needs to be updated to allow VB to post party affiliation. Lets get the Democrats "out of the closet", and prevent them from hiding out as Republicans or conservatives. Don't be ashamed of your party, lets know where everyone stands.
way to go, chesapeake
You took a massive step backwards by bringing back debbie ritter and making alan krasnoff mayor. These two have long partnered to stonewall any attempts to move chesapeake forward. You can now expect a massive growth in city beauracracy, and vicious and intense political retribution against anyone who does not agree with them. I feel for city staff and anyone who hopes for efficient government.
Don't blow it
Congratulations to the new mayor and council members. Get to work and don’t blow this golden opportunity.
No He won't
Obama won't come and do anything, but neither will McCain. Where George Bush is arrogant, McCain is equally a hot-head. A third term of George Bush is unacceptable. If you think we are in a recession now, wait until McCain is president. God help us if he is.