Virginia's 5th District House of Delegates seat is a vacant seat. After Senator William Wampler announced his retirement (6/3/11), Delegate Bill Carrico decided to run for Senate (6/7/11). That vacated the new 5th District which runs from Galax, through Grayson County, parts of Smyth County, Washington County, and Bristol. Delegate Joe Johnson and his home town of Abingdon were cut out of Washingt
on County and combined with the former 2nd district area (Russell County, Dickenson County, and Wise County) and the 2nd district was moved to northern VA. Bud Phillips was the Delegate in the 2nd and he and Joe Johnson, both Democrats, were placed in the same District. Any guess who controls the House of Delegates and thus the redistricting? Now the plot thickens as someone just happened to be waiting to fill the vacated 5th seat. But luck has it that the new 5th district which used to come down as far as Smyth County now stretches all the way to Bristol. That person announces he is seeking the Republican nomination for House of Delegates...signatures, 4x8 signs made up, just 2 days after Carrico's announcement (6/9/11). Next thing you know the door of opportunity is slammed shut on any other potential nominees. (6/15/11) because a primary was chosen as a means of electing a candidate instead of a Mass Meeting. So only one name with paperwork in, only one name on potential ballot, so no primary required, defacto, default candidate for the Republicans without even a vote being cast. This is where "OZ" comes in. You see in 2010, that's last year, he met with Delegate Joe Johnson to inquire about being a Delegate..what was involved, what as required, what were the obligations, etc. OZ informed Delegate Johnson of his intentions to run for House of Delegates, not against Joe because he was so well liked but along side of on the ballot so that people would know that if Joe ever decided to retire that someone was interested in continuing his good work. A OZ even made his intentions known to the leadership of the Republican Party in his own county. He was placed on a committee to search for a candidate for House of Delegates. However, some time later, the leadership informed him that they had decided not to run a candidate against Delegate Johnson. (no explaination...too hard to beat? getting old and requested a break?
