Candidate stumps for light rail, not your vote

ISLE OF WIGHT

He's not opposed to shaking your hand or kissing your baby, but he definitely doesn't want your vote.

Albert Burckard is running against Del. Bill Barlow in the 64th District. Sort of.

"I'm just here to promote light rail," he said. "There is no other plank in my platform but to see passenger rail all over Virginia."

Burckard, an Independent, also ran against Barlow in 2005. Back then, he said in a letter to the editor, that he would have refused to go to Richmond, even if he had won. Portsmouth lawyer Stan Clark is also in the race this year.

"It's not that I don't like our capital city all that much," Burckard said, once the election was done. "I just think that my offer to become Virginia's first video-teleconference delegate is an idea whose time has come."

The retired Army lieutenant colonel grew up in Norfolk and lives in Isle of Wight. He also has run twice against U.S. Rep. Randy Forbes, R-4th District. Burckard garnered more than 46,000 votes in 2006, about 30 percent. They were all votes he didn't want, he said.

"I believe passenger rail is the cheapest and most efficient form of transportation," he said. "It could take 20 to 25 percent of traffic off the highways."

He dreams about catching a monorail in Windsor and traveling to Virginia Beach.

And, even though he dresses in a green shirt and green tie for campaigning, he's usually not that political.

In a controversy over a political pamphlet a few years back, he sided with Barlow. He said, "I do not want to be perceived, in any way, as running in support of the Republicans."

Burckard praises Barlow. Just recently, he said, the longtime delegate saved the Surry ferry and helped a Smithfield police officer experiencing liver failure.

For a lawyer, he said, Clark is a fine fellow, and he calls Clark a good friend.

Vote for either of them, Burckard said. But don't vote for him.

Linda McNatt, (757) 222-5561, linda.mcnatt@pilotonline.com