U.S. House, 4th District: Forbes easily wins 4th term

CHESAPEAKE

Rep. Randy Forbes, R-Chesapeake, easily defeated Democrat and political newcomer Andrea Miller to win his fourth full term in Congress.

Forbes has said he will try to pass an initiative that would award cash to groups that achieve important energy goals.

"We'd like to see the country deal with the energy issue," Forbes said Tuesday night.

Forbes has said he also will continue his work with the Congressional Prayer Caucus, a group that he founded that has fought several battles to preserve religious references in historical displays and rituals. The congressman has also said that he doesn't want to leave Iraq without victory.

The key piece of Miller's campaign was her opposition to the war in Iraq. The former moveon.org coordinator said she would favor the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

Miller said she relied on volunteers for presidential candidate Barack Obama in her campaign and was hoping to pick up votes from Democrats energized by Obama and former Gov. Mark Warner, who ran for the Senate.

Forbes raised more than $670,000 in campaign cash. Miller, who ran her campaign entirely on volunteers after several top staffers quit, took in about $15,700 in contributions.

"The man can be beaten," Miller said Tuesday night from a Chesterfield restaurant. "I'll be back in 2010."

Just before 9 p.m., Forbes took the stage at a Marriott hotel ballroom in Chesapeake, surrounded by elected officials and his wife, Shirley. He thanked his staff and supporters and said he felt honored to have such a high level of support from voters.

"You work hard," Forbes said, "and you don't take anything for granted."

Mike Saewitz, (757) 222-5207, mike.saewitz@pilotonline.com