Curren to oppose Saxman in 20th

Four-term Del. Chris Saxman will have Democratic opposition in the 20th House District in November in the person of Erik Curren, who is running on a platform of clean energy and efficiency to promote economic development.

Curren, 43, of Staunton, is marketing director for the American Shakespeare Center. He is running because he wants to offer a “visionary strategy to bring jobs to the area.”

“Economists have said clean energy could be the next Internet boom,” Curren said.

The Shenandoah Valley is primed to snare green jobs, he said.

“We could be a great area for clean energy and jobs,” he said.

The Valley has strong potential for wind power and solar power, he said.

There is also historic preservation, which Curren says “is the most green thing you can do. It’s a lot greener than ripping down.”

In addition to his work with the Shakespeare Center, Curren is the co-founder of Staunton Green 2020, a citizens coalition dedicated to helping Staunton generate 20 percent of its energy from clean local sources and cutting global warming by 2020.

Curren holds a doctorate from the University of California, and has taught English in the United States and abroad.

He plans a high-energy campaign that will include canvassing and door-to-door, use of phone banks and fundraising.

“I want to talk to people throughout the community,” he said. “I want to mobilize everybody in the area. I want to run our campaign as an experiment in broad-based democracy.”

Saxman looks forward to debating the issues with Curren. The Republican incumbent said the economy is number one.

“I’m not going to place any type of job over another,” he said. “There are so many people out of work.”

Saxman said he has worked to protect the environment by supporting the upgrade of Virginia’s wastewater treatment facilities and air quality.

“I’ve done a very good job for the 20th District and I hope the citizens of the 20th District will send me back to Richmond on their behalf,” he said.

The 20th House District includes the city of Staunton, Highland County and parts of Augusta and Rockingham counties.