Just when you thought campaign season ended locally with a round of primaries, here comes the general election cycle.
“People run because they really want to make a difference,” said 11th District Delegate Onzlee Ware before he introduced attorney general hopeful Steve Shannon to about 75 other Democrats at the Ramada Inn-Franklin Road last week.
Ware, who just came through a primary against Martin Jeffrey unscathed, despite attempts to paint his candidacy as unethical, called the 38-year-old’s run against Ken Cuccinelli “courageous.” There hasn’t been a Democratic state attorney general since Mary Sue Terry, almost 20 years ago.
Currently a delegate from Fairfax, Shannon is running against Cuccinelli, another state lawmaker, this November. (Both were in town last week.) On hand to greet Shannon at the Ramada Inn were other locally elected officials, including several candidates for Roanoke County Board of Supervisors (Sarah Goodman-Windsor Hills, Charlene Waybright-Hollins), Gwen Mason (17th House District, also a Roanoke City Councilwoman) and Ginny Weisz, running for the House of Delegates against incumbent Republican Morgan Griffith in the 8th District. Roanoke City Council member Court Rosen, also on hand, said he liked Shannon’s “energy” and youth.
Ware joked that he wasn’t sure Shannon “was old enough,” when they both joined the House of Delegates several years ago but said he had seen the AG hopeful grow into that role. Shannon handled many sex crime cases involving children as a Fairfax County prosecutor in the 90’s, and along with his wife, said he helped craft Virginia’s Amber Alert law.
“I can be very effective,” said Shannon, who has focused on public safety issues since joining the General Assembly. Governor Kaine asked him to join a committee on sexual violence and he is also a member of the House Appropriations committee, where business and education concerns have ruled the day.
“I’ve been very focused [on that],” said Shannon, who is critical of Cuccinnelli on a number of issues.
“I’m running for Attorney General to make Virginia a safer place,” said Shannon, who seeks regional solutions on issues like internet crimes. He also wants to make sure Virginia remains “the most pro-business state.” He’s got four months to make his case
