Hamilton loses House seat amid scandal over university job

NEWPORT NEWS

A statewide Republican tide was not enough to save embattled Del. Phil Hamilton from defeat Tuesday.

Ensnared in an ongoing ethics scandal, the Newport News Republican lost the House seat he has held for two decades to Democratic challenger Robin Abbott, a well-funded political neophyte.

Speaking to a subdued crowd of supporters, Hamilton was philosophical.

“I’ve always said it is the voters’ seat, it’s not any individual’s seat,” he said. “For 21 years the voters made what I thought was an outstanding choice. Today the voters changed their minds. And that’s something that the voters have the opportunity to do.”

He wished Abbott good luck and added, “Phil Hamilton is not going away. He’s been here his whole life. He’s not going to run and hide.”

Later , he attributed his loss more to the changing demographics of his district than to his ethics troubles.

Abbott, however, called the scandal a “major factor” in the outcome. As she campaigned , she said, many voters expressed “sadness and disappointment” in Hamilton. “At times it was difficult to stay focused on my own campaign,” she said. “I think it’s clear we need some kind of ethical reform.”

Hamilton, a member of the House since 1988, is a senior member of the budget-writing Appropriations Committee. He became the target of investigations by a House ethics panel and a federal grand jury over the summer after revelations that he was angling for a job at Old Dominion University in 2007 while he was securing the state appropriation that funded the position.

ODU canceled Hamilton’s $40,000-a-year contract in August after the details of the deal became known. An internal audit found little documentation of any services he provided for the money.

Both investigations are continuing.

A semi-retired teacher and school administrator, Hamilton still works part time for the Newport News school system. He has apologized for failing to avoid the “appearance of impropriety” but says he broke no law. He resisted calls from Democrats and some Republicans, including Gov.-elect Bob McDonnell, to step down from his seat .

Abbott, a consumer rights attorney in Newport News, is a midlife law-school graduate. This was her first run for office.

Together, the two candidates spent close to $1 million battling for a $17,640-a-year job.

Bill Sizemore, (757) 446-2276, bill.sizemore@pilotonline.com