Chamber political committee endorses select incumbents

Incumbents dominate a list of legislative endorsements made by the political arm of the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce of Commerce.

Among those recently endorsed by the Hampton Roads Business Political Action Committee are five state senators and 11 state delegates.

The list includes more Republicans than Democrats but features some from both parties, and it omits several incumbents seeking re-election this year.

State senators on the list include Cheapeake's Harry Blevins (R); Jeff McWaters (R) and Frank Wagner (R) of Virginia Beach; James City County's Tommy Norment (R) and Ralph Northam (D) of Norfolk.

House members who made the cut are Dels. Bill Barlow (D) of Isle of Wight County; Chesapeake's John Cosgrove (R); Sal Iaquinto (R), Barry Knight (R), Bob Purkey (R), Chris Stolle (R), Bob Tata (R) and Ron Villanueva (R) of Virginia Beach; Portsmouth's Matthew James (D); Suffolk's Chris Jones (R) and Brenda Pogge (R) of James City County.

A chamber official said endorsements are decided by a committee of business leaders on the PAC who base their choices on how legislators score in the Virginia Free rankings and their responses to a chamber questionnaire.

All 140 seats in the General Assembly are on the ballot this November.

-- Julian Walker

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