Bert Dodson, a former member of Lynchburg City Council, said Wednesday he plans to announce he’s a Democratic candidate for Virginia’s state Senate in the newly created 22nd District, which includes the northern half of the Hill City.
Dodson has scheduled a formal announcement for Tuesday.
The Washington Post disclosed Dodson’s intentions Wednesday, several days earlier than he had intended to declare his candidacy. The Post attributed its information to Senate majority leader Richard Saslaw, D-Fairfax County.
Dodson has been visiting local Democratic committees in each county of the 22nd District, which stretches eastward to Goochland County in Richmond’s suburbs.
Dodson will be the first Democratic candidate in the district, a collection of localities that was assembled by the Senate’s Democratic majority just a month ago in the redistricting process. Its counties gave Republican Bob McDonnell about 60 percent of their votes for governor in 2009.
Five Republicans have announced they will seek their party’s nomination in an Aug. 23 primary election.
Democrats in the district have not decided how they will choose their nominee, said John Lawrence, chairman of the Lynchburg Democratic Committee.
Lawrence said he would talk with party leaders in seven localities to find out whether other candidates are lining up.
“That will decide what we do, if anybody else wants to run,” Lawrence said. The party’s options are to hold either a primary election or a district-wide convention to nominate its candidate.
Lawrence said he didn’t see the premature revelation of Dodson’s candidacy as a problem. “Nobody is paying attention at this point, so it’s not a big deal,” Lawrence said.
Several Democratic leaders in the Lynchburg region said Dodson’s experience in local government and business will make him a strong candidate.
State Sen. Roscoe Reynolds, D-Henry County and a leader in the Senate Democratic Caucus, said Dodson “has the reputation of being a good businessman and a good member of City Council.”
Dodson was the city’s vice mayor for six years.
“That’s a good background to be a very viable candidate,” Reynolds said. “He knows the issues from a business perspective.”
Sen. John Edwards, D-Roanoke, also cited Dodson’s background in local government, and added that “Bert is a very competent and successful businessman. He understands the importance of business.”
Dodson, after serving 12 years on City Council, announced in October 2009 that he would step down, citing demands he faced as president of Dodson Bros. Exterminating Co.
The business, founded by Dodson’s father and an uncle in 1944, operates in five states. Dodson said he was looking forward to expanding the business when he left council.
But, one year later, he is again a candidate — this time for a seat that, with no incumbent senator, is up for grabs.
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