Quayle to retire, other Senate candidate developments

Suffolk Republican Sen. Fred Quayle has decided to retire after two decades in the General Assembly rather than challenge his longtime Senate colleague Harry Blevins, R-Chesapeake, in a primary contest.

"It's been an interesting 20 years," Quayle, 75, said Wednesday when reached for comment. "I've learned a lot. It's a complicated process, governing. I think we achieved a lot of good things while I was there and I'm proud of the job we did."

Quayle and Blevins were drawn into the same Senate district in the reapportionment plan approved by the legislature in April. That district is seen as more favorable landscape for Blevins, who is seeking re-election.

A political moderate who had been a swing vote in the legislature on some social issues, Quayle has observed a conservative shift in the Senate Republican caucus during his time in the chamber.

"The senators that I came in with in 1992 all were pretty much of a moderate philosophy and now most of them are gone," said Quayle, noting that only Sens. Tommy Norment, R-James City County; and Walter Stosch, R-Henrico County, remain in the chamber.

(Norment, the Senate Minority Leader, this year faces a challenge on his right flank from Tea Party candidate Mark Frechette.)

Quayle said the conservative conversion hasn't "necessarily adversely affected" the Senate, but his personal belief is that governing is best done from the middle rather than the far left or far right.

Perhaps his most recent legislative highlight was his 2010 bill that exempts Virginians from individual insurance mandates like the one in the federal health care act.

(That legislation and similar bills are part of the foundation of Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli's ongoing challenge of the health care package.)

In other Senate campaign news, former state Del. Jeff Frederick (R) confirmed that he will seek the Republican nomination in the 36th state Senate District.

"I am running to serve the people of eastern Prince William, Fairfax, and Stafford and to change politics as usual in Richmond," said Frederick, a former state GOP chairman who was ousted from the post.

"There's too much polarization; too much partisanship; and not enough principled people going down there who are focused on the people that they represent -- working hard day in and day out to make our communities, commonwealth and country a better place to live, work, and raise a family," he added. "We need leaders in Richmond who aren't afraid to shake up and stand up to the status quo and keep people of any political party accountable."

Frederick likely will have to challenge Tito "The Builder" Munoz for the Republican nomination.

That seat both men are interested in currently is held by Sen. Linda "Toddy" Puller, a northern Virginia Democrat.

In central Virginia, Lynchburg businessman Bert Dodson recently announced he is running as a Democrat for the 22nd District seat.

A former Lynchburg City Council member, Dodson is president and CEO of Dodson Pest Control, a company with 500 employees in five states.

“I am running because I strongly believe that we need more people with a business background in the State Senate,” Dodson said in a statement. “I am going to use my business experience to help create and maintain good jobs for all of our citizens.”

Several Republicans are seeking the party nomination in that district.

-- Julian Walker

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