Cline defends 24th

House District 24 Del. Ben Cline defended his seat Tuesday with a dominating victory over Democratic challenger Jeff Price.

“It’s a great night for the [Shenandoah] Valley and for fiscal responsibility and for restoring common sense conservative values to Richmond,” Cline said from a Republican victory party at Salerno’s Restaurant in Lexington. “I commend my opponent for a clean race focused on the issues.”

Cline, R-Rockbridge, captured 71 percent of the vote compared to Price’s 29 percent.

The victory is Cline’s fifth and the biggest. He has represented District 24, stretching from Amherst County to Lexington and including a W-shaped section of Augusta County, since 2002.

In their campaigns, Cline and Price emphasized small business development and increased workforce training to reignite the area economy. The candidates parted ways on taxes and transportation: Cline said cuts should balance the budget. He does not support an increase to the gas tax.

Cline long has worked to court a multi-state coalition to bring federal money to Interstate 81 and said he is working against a movement in Northern Virginia to base the state’s road-funding formula on population, which he said would hurt his district.

A rising star in the Republican ranks, Cline espouses reduced regulations, low taxes, shrewd spending and efficient government. He touts a “Yellow Pages test” for government, urging state agencies and institutions to contract tasks to private firms to save money.

Unopposed since 2005, Cline claimed “stark differences” with Price, who criticized the incumbent for failing to work in a bipartisan way.

Price could not be reached for comment.

An historic home contractor who said he had no intentions of becoming a “career politician,” Price never had run for office.