The 9th District includes Floyd County, Franklin County and the northwest part of Pittsylvania County. Let’s take a look at this race.
Charles Poindexter is running for re-election for the first time and he’s facing a candidate from the Independent Green party.
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Charles Poindexter (R): In his first term, Poindexter got some good committee assignments and was able to push through legislation that got Franklin County a “Drug Court” authorization. He had a few other bills make it into law as well. Nothing super special about his first term, but that’s not unexpected for a first-term Delegate.
Sherman Witcher (IG): Witcher ran against Robert Hurt in the 2007 Virginia Senate election in a very under-funded campaign. It really wasn’t much of a contest as Hurt won 75-25. Unfortunately, the money isn’t coming into this campaign either. DISCLAIMER: I am good friends with Witcher’s campaign manager.
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Thoughts: Witcher seems like a good guy, but he’s facing almost-impossible odds. With no major-party backing (in other words, $$$$$), I just can’t see any realistic chance of a win. Poindexter defeated Eric Ferguson in 2007 in a open-seat 46-44-10 election, but Ferguson isn’t running this time after losing in 2005 & 2007. Poindexter is playing it safe and that’s the correct way to run this campaign against a candidate like Witcher. The only way that Witcher’s going to have a shot is to hope that Poindexter implodes. If Witcher does get some money, the Republican party will carpet-bomb this district with ads to ensure that this seat stays Republican.
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Current vote prediction: Poindexter 72%, Witcher 28%
OddsMakers of a win: Poindexter 99% (I can’t lock this one away yet, but it’s as locked as they get at this time.)
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We’ll be writing more about this race as the election comes near and will be making an endorsement.
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