Forum aims to select GOP candidate

Augusta County Republican Lynn Mitchell vividly remembers the 2005 gubernatorial race when Democrat Tim Kaine earned a victory in the city of Staunton.

“It rocked everybody when that happened,” Mitchell said of Kaine’s 272-vote victory over Republican Jerry Kilgore. Last year, Virginia went blue for Barack Obama, and Staunton was in the win column for the Democrats again, by a 2 percent margin.

Tonight at 7 at Buffalo Gap High School, the House District 20 Legislative Committee will hold a candidates forum and then choose a Republican candidate from a field of seven to succeed retiring Del. Chris Saxman.

The Republican candidate is likely to fare well in November in the traditionally red areas of the district in Rockingham and Augusta counties, but Staunton is not as sure a bet for the GOP. About a third of the district’s voters are in Staunton.

Mitchell said she thinks more Democrats are moving into Staunton and Augusta County.

Anne Taetzsch Fitzgerald, chairwoman of the Staunton Republican Committee, said the city’s new voters bring a different perspective on politics.

She said many Staunton voters are independent and are less likely to be swayed by a party label.

As for House District 20 in November, Fitzgerald said “Staunton will always be the tossup.” And she said voters are looking for a candidate to stand up for them against the increasing size of the federal government.

Fitzgerald also thinks the Republican candidate who runs against Democrat Erik Curren in November must be one who believes in limited government, one who can articulate their positions and can appeal to voters across the district.

“People want someone like them, who will represent them and other voters,” she said.

Staunton City Councilman Dickie Bell was the early favorite to get the nomination, but there are six other candidates vying tonight as well.

The field includes former Augusta County Supervisor Charles Curry; former Staunton Commissioner of the Revenue Ray Ergenbright; Western State Hospital Director of Community Services John Beghtol; longtime Staunton Republican activist and former local Chairman Cliff Fretwell; Augusta Health cardiac nurse David Karaffa, who resides near Stuarts Draft; and businessman Chuck Hawkins, of Staunton.

Fitzgerald said a decision tonight is likely, but said it is not an absolute certainty.