Chamber News

Ward Armstrong Known as a Fighter-Washington Times

Aug. 7-Washington Times gives news report on Del. Ward Armstrong, Minority of the Virginia House of Delegates. John Reynolds says, "He is known as a fighter."

Washington Times-Virginia House Minority Leader Ward L. Armstrong, whose Southside district was moved north to include parts of Prince William and Loudoun counties during redistricting this year, is among the most notable of the casualties of a process that has left some incumbents playing musical chairs in bids for re-election. Rather than challenge incumbent Delegate Donald W. Merricks, Pittsylvania Republican, Mr. Armstrong decided to move a short distance away into the redrawn 9th District, currently occupied by two-term incumbent Delegate Charles D. Poindexter, Franklin Republican. “This race never was about electing Charles Poindexter. It’s about defeating Ward Armstrong,� said Mr. Armstrong, Henry Democrat. “I fully expected to be redistricted out of my seat. You don’t have to be a Nobel Prize winner to figure that one out.� And if moving his old district up to Northern Virginia wasn’t enough, money is already pouring in to support his opponent. Mr. Poindexter's Southside Victory Fund recently received seven $10,000 donations, including one from Mr. Merricks‘ campaign, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project. Mr. Merricks is currently running unopposed in the new 16th District. The fund has also received $50,000 from Gov. Bob McDonnell’s Opportunity Virginia PAC, $25,000 from House Speaker William J. Howell’s re-election campaign and $15,000 from House Majority Leader M. Kirkland Cox’s Majority Leader PAC. It had $104,347 on hand as of June 30. Still, Mr. Armstrong is holding his own. He raised the most money in the second quarter of any House candidate running — nearly $143,000 — and finished the period with $238,834 on hand. And he was resoundingly nominated at a Franklin County Democratic Committee meeting last month. “Ward is kind of known as a fighter, and I don’t think he wanted to give up his seat in the General Assembly,� said John Reynolds, chairman of the Patrick County Democratic Committee. “A lot of the people in the new 9th are his old constituents.� Source: Washington Times www.washingtontimes.com