Change is coming to the Chesterfield board
By Greg Pearson STAFF WRITER

Jaeckle

No matter who wins on Nov. 6, the Chesterfield Board of Supervisors will change because two Republicans of the five members are not running. But some local observers think there could be a philosophical change, too.

"There's potential for more change than just two open seats," said Bermuda Supervisor Dickie King. "There's anti-growth sentiment...a cultural change. Any time a homemaker can upset a sitting planning commissioner who is completely qualified [for supervisor], something's going on."

King was referring to the June 12 Republican primary loss for Jack Wilson, his planning commissioner, to Dorothy Jaeckle in Bermuda District. Attorney Wilson, who had served previously as chairman of the Chesterfield Republican Committee, had the backing of most party regulars while Jaeckle recently joined the committee. Jaeckle received 1,751 votes to Wilson's 1,319.

King attributed Wilson's loss to him "being a land use attorney" and the influence of Democrats and Independents. Non-Republicans could request a ballot, allowing them to vote for who would represent the Republicans for Bermuda supervisor this November.

King

"[Jack] McHale and the Demo- crats won it for Dorothy," agreed Sherman Litton, chairman of the Chesterfield Republican Committee. King beat Independent McHale and Democrat Ree Hart in the 2003 race.

King and Litton claim Jaeckle's Democrat and Independent opponents worked the polls during the primary, urging voters to support Jaeckle instead of Wilson, the seemingly stronger candidate.

"It was a brilliant maneuver for McHale and the Democrats to work the polls, taking out the most qualified candidate," added King. "I have to hand it to them."

Jaeckle said she had no arrangement for Hart or McHale to help her rally voters. "I had my own people working the polls," she said. Jaeckle confirmed that McHale called her, saying he was submitting the necessary signatures to qualify him to run for supervisor, "but he was going to drop out if I won."

"I have some thinking to do to determine if I can win," replied McHale. "I'll decide by the end of July. That's not inconsistent with my thinking."

"I wasn't involved in Dorothy's campaign," McHale continued. "I told people who talked to me that I was going to vote for Dorothy and hoped they would too."

"I wasn't involved," Hart told this newspaper.

Pointing to the Bermuda primary, Lynne Cooper, spokesperson for the Chesterfield Democratic Committee, said, "I can hear the clarion cry for change. Citizens want candidates who are connected to communities, not the development community. They'll be voting on issues, not for parties."

Though it did not contribute money to Wilson's campaign, Tyler Craddock, spokesperson for the Richmond Home Building Association, said the group did contact its membership, recommending that they back Wilson. "Jack is pro-business," he said.

"Constituents felt they weren't being heard…particularly on development decisions," said Jaeckle. "They are concerned about development without infrastructure - roads and schools mostly."

Jaeckle expects to receive the support from party regulars now that she is the Republican nominee. "I'm learning that endorsements come because you owe someone," she added. "I'm looking for support, not endorsements."

In addition to Jaeckle, Hart and McHale, Roy Wallace has qualified as an Independent for the supervisor race in Bermuda. In 2003, he dropped off the ballot and endorsed King.

Other primary races

Cooper attributed Bill Hastings' win in the Democratic primary for Matoaca District to his "community ties." Hastings beat Don Wilms by 400 votes (558-156) last week. Hastings got about half of his votes in the southern part of the district - Ettrick and Matoaca - near where he lives. Two of his opponents - Republican Mark Tubbs and Independent Marleen Durfee - live in the suburban part of the district in the Midlothian zip codes.

Larry Haake, registrar for the county, said about 11,200 persons voted countywide at a cost of $6 per voter. Much of the turnout was believed to be driven by the countywide Republican primaries for sheriff and circuit court clerk. Last year in the primary, only 3,000 voted ($20 per voter), and just 2,600 voted in the primary in 2003.

Incumbent Judy Worthington won the clerk's race and effectively will be certified this November because she has no opposition. Dennis Proffitt defeated two other Republican hopefuls for sheriff and is challenged by two Independents, Kendrick A. Hall and Steven A. Neal, and Democrat Anthony "Perry" DeMay this fall.