Three Republicans say they will run together for City Council seats

Lynchburg’s only three declared City Council candidates announced Monday that they will run together as one slate during the at-large elections in May.

In a news release, the trio described themselves as a diverse group of Republicans. The slate consists of: Hunsdon Cary III; Don Good Jr.; and Ted Hannon.

The release said the candidates spent several weeks meeting to discuss their views on city government before deciding to make a bid for office together. They found they are in “broad agreement on the most important issues addressed by City Council,” while still bringing their own unique perspectives and backgrounds to the table, it said.

The three filed their candidacy paperwork with the registrar last week and listed the same phone number for their campaign headquarters.

A formal campaign kickoff is expected in the near future. The candidates will make no public statements until then, according to the release.

Cary is president and CEO of Westminster Canterbury of Lynchburg, a nonprofit, Christian-oriented retirement community located in the Peakland neighborhood.

Cary, a graduate of the nearby Virginia Episcopal School, has been with Westminster Canterbury since 1976. He has a master’s degree in health administration from the Medical College of Virginia and served with the U.S. Air Force Medical Service Corps.

Cary lives in Ward IV and has owned his home there since 1976, according to the city’s online real estate records.

Good is a 1995 graduate of Liberty University’s government program and has a background in retail construction accrued over nearly a decade of employment at 84 Lumber and Lowe’s, according to the news release. He currently works at PET Dairy.

His bio says he is also an active volunteer in youth sports and church activities. Good lives in Ward I and has owned his house there since 1994, according to city records.

Hannon is an attorney and California native with a degree from the University of California, Davis. He spent a notable portion of his career working in real estate and property management in Hawaii, where he still maintains several business interests.

He is director and president of Kekaulike Management Company, whose properties include The Kuhio Banyan, a timeshare resort in Waikiki. He is also the sole proprietor of KBC Activities & Tours, according to his election papers.

In 2008, Hannon was appointed to the Lynchburg Planning Commission, where he has been a staunch advocate for private property rights. He lives in Ward II and has owned his home there since 2003.

The Lynchburg Republican Committee has not yet discussed how or when it will choose its candidates for the City Council elections, said chairman Mark Peake.

The party will not hold a primary as the deadline to notify election officials of that choice has already elapsed, according to a calendar issued by the Virginia State Board of Elections. Peake has until March 8 to certify the party’s candidates with the registrar.

If the local committee endorses the three declared candidates, it will be the first time the Republicans have run a full slate of nominees for City Council since the at-large elections of 1998.

The party was unsuccessful that year, losing out to the self-titled “Lynchburg First” slate consisting of Bert Dodson, Stewart Hobbs and Carl Hutcherson, a bipartisan mix of candidates who ran as independents.

No other candidates have announced for this year’s election. The three at-large seats now held by Mayor Joan Foster, Vice Mayor Dodson and newly appointed City Councilman Randy Nelson will all be up for grabs on May 4.

Foster has not yet announced her plans. Dodson is retiring. Nelson has said he is interested in running for a full term, but has not formally committed to doing so.

The deadline for candidates to file is March 2.