The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
Scott Taylor wants to be mayor, and he's an underdog.
He's up against Meyera Oberndorf, the 20-year incumbent who's got name recognition spilling out of her high-top red Converses. And John Moss with his anti-tax legionnaires. And as if that weren't enough, he's also trying to beat back Will Sessoms, a former City Council member who's got campaign funds bulging from his vest pockets.
But on his MySpace page, Taylor's got something that the others don't.
He's got "Perfect Dark Amazon." He's got "Dominican Dyme," showing a mile of leg and spilling something other than campaign funds from her breast pockets. He's got Audrey, whose photo could get you in trouble if you check it out on a work computer. He's got Annie and Jennifer and Patsy.
"You think I haven't noticed?" Taylor said, when asked about his online supporters.
Then he slipped back into political mode. "Registered women vote more than registered men."
Taylor's a 30-year-old former Navy SEAL who's making more of the Internet than any of the other candidates. He has campaign pages on MySpace, Facebook, MiGente (Spanish-language, which he speaks). He's on Twitter, Digg, Black Planet, Moses, Asian Avenue and Meetup.com.
Taylor's got subtly gelled hair and sideburns long enough to be in but not so long as to keep him out of business meetings. His campaign photo seems pulled from the pages of Esquire or GQ.
He wouldn't want any of that to imply he's not serious about being mayor. He's done a video blog while riding an HRT bus about the shortcomings of mass transit. He's working on one with a small-business owner. Who better to represent veterans, he says, than a veteran?
But he was game to get on the computer and scroll down the comments section of his MySpace page.
"I know Dory. She's a pretty girl. Here, I'll show you," he said, clicking on some pictures. "That's Dory. Pretty girl."
What about Patsy?
"She's a SEAL widow. She'll be one of our precinct captains."
Audrey, in the lingerie?
"I know her. She's from Medellin, Colombia. We did a commercial together. I just missed her call a few minutes ago."
What about the next one?
"I don't know her."
This one.
"I don't know her."
This?
"I don't know her."
He does know that he wants to keep his sites at least PG-13.
"A couple of them, especially in the summer months, they had bikini pictures on there. We had to take them down."
Taylor would like to dispel the notion that he's running for mayor to meet women.
Yes, he is single. No, he is not dating anyone - from his MySpace page or otherwise.
"I can't, man," he said. "I don't have time."
Lon Wagner, (757) 446-2341, lon.wagner@pilotonline.com
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Don't get me started on Meyera's videos
Scott Taylor is in the lead on technology and connecting with the younger generation. Don't get me started on the Meyera videos..Sorry user: nrose, Meyera does not have a significant internet profile and her MySpace, Facebook, look like its from here. "She's also got a number of online videos that her explain her red shoes campaign." says nrose. Looks like you're just trying to promote your company that did those amateur videos. Hey, it's not working - you'll lose the business. No dice here. Meyera - take those videos down now and you may still have a chance of redeeming your image. Stick with the grassroots and you may still have a chance.
Perspective on Honor
Senator McCain is certainly due honor and respect for his service in the military just as the veteran in the race is due the same for his service. Even the incumbent is due respect as well for her service as the spouse of a 30 year military veteran. But the Mayor's race is about competent and effective leadership, not about popularity or the honor deserved to many for their past military service. Will Sessoms has shown that he can develop consensus within the city council for decisive and effective action to stimulate economic development that creates jobs and adds to the commercial tax base, thereby reducing demand on the residential tax base. We need that leadership now more than ever. He may not kiss as many babies nor show up at as many community events to increase his personal popularity, but he will work hard and smart for us. Competent leadership is what we need most, and Sessoms is the most qualified to deliver that right now.
Check your facts first!
Hi Dixeyland, just wanted to tell you that you are mis-informed. Playa Rana hasn't even been selling for 3 years. It is a 42 unit condo complex where 20 have sold and 1 is currently under contract, so you might want to check your facts before you go posting information on here. Have you ever been inside the condos? It is an awesome project, you should check them out!!
Will Sessoms
Am I crazy or is this whole election from President to the Mayor Race in VA Beach gone to heck in a hand basket. How could we let a leader like Mr. Taylor or Senator McCain have their service to this country mean nothing. You say Mr. Taylor has no experience as a leader? Well let me tell you any VET should be outraged by the negative comments below. Myra and Sessoms have never served in the military. That is where TRUE leaders are made. He has a Masters certificate from O.D.U. in government contracts. He was a NAVY SEAL, he started his own business and has been paying taxes from the age of 11. He is from a single mom with four kids. No money, No developers padding his pockets. He has made himself from nothing and was injured in Iraq keeping us free and safe. Go to a Civic league meeting, go to forum, go to a church that has asked him to speak and see first hand what he stands for. You won't get that from the Pilot. I can't see how the Pres. of the areas local bank will be an effective Mayor with all the conflicts that will cause. At least Moss has worked with the military as a numbers cruncher. Myra, I have no words for how she has made it this long.
Scott Taylor
The comments below reflect the path the Pilot has taken by not doing its job and reporting this event from a fair field. Scott Taylor is not from Jersey but from the Eastern Shore. The fact he has only done one development is all the more reason to support him. He is not in any pocket. He is only 30. Good! I guess it's his fault he went off to serve his country and not develop Town Center and the 31st Street project that we the tax payers voted against! I also like the fact that Scott was not part of the Sessomdorf team that pushed the SportsPlex forward that cost the tax payers one million dollars a year in losses or the former TPC Golf corse that cost us 400,000 a year in losses. He was not part of the B.R.A.C. problem that almost cost this area 39% of it's revenue. I bet Sessoms and Myra supporters wish their candidate had a clean slate like that. Also, to touch on the MySpace issue. Some of the same ladies on Scott's page are on the McCain and Palin Myspace pages. Hmmmmmm??? The Pilot made it's point to the people of Hampton Roads. Don't be attractive and support a person running for office. It will hurt the candidate you support in the long run.
Nice guy but completely unqualified
Look, he seems like a very nice guy, but he has no experience or grounding in the community.
He will certainly finish ahead of Moss who has a dwindling base of support, but he really is not a contender in the mayoral race at all.
Cocoa
If only it were that easy. I've been to the websites, and I'm not waiting for the pilot to "tell me how to vote." It's pretty obvious that going to the candidates' websites will NOT give me an unbiased view of said candidates, or any real idea of what their plans mean for me. The websites all say the same thing, namely what everyone wants to hear: "lower taxes! less traffic! better schools! more safety!" etc etc etc. It's the candidate's job to basically be biased for himself and speak of how great he would be for the city. But that's not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for objective reporting on exactly what these candidates stand for and plan to do for this city, good or bad.
MP
MP says he doesn't "know who to vote for in local elections, and so far all I seem to have to go by are the signs and the obvious endorsement by the Pilot...with no details of what anyone will actually do in office."
All the candidates have Web sites. Why don't you do your own research and make an informed decision, instead of looking at signs and waiting for the Pilot to tell you how to cast your ballot?
Underdog
People feel a need to vote for a junior senator with no experience for president. We have people who vote for this man without knowing or caring about his background. People will vote for him not caring about his associations with a racist or know terrorist friends. They just don't care that in order to put his big health care into action for every American it will cost tax payers big. People say that Palin is an unknown but so was this man running for president, who ever heard or knew anything about him before he was force to run for president? And people will vote for him because he's black. So people will vote for anyone it seems. So with Taylor running for mayor he's pretty much an unknown so why wouldn't you want to vote for him? It seems that people look at a candidate for mayor closer than they do for candidates running for president.
Two horse race
No matter the coverage of this first time candidate, the race for Mayor at the Beach is between the current Mayor and Will Sessoms. Given the advantage of incumbency for free and unfettered publicity, any serious candidate must have the resources to challenge the long time incumbent for this leadership position. Sessoms has done that, and he presents an alternative that stresses economic development to develop the tax revenue from non residential sources. Taxpayers must know that Sessoms is well qualified to lead and to make the Beach a better candidate for business opportunity that provides jobs and tax revenue so we can have the best programs and services. It is one thing to act as the figure head for the city; it is another to stimulate and create action in the public interest, and Will Sessoms is extremely well qualified for the top leadership position in our city government.