Posted on 08/31/2004 5:08:42 PM PDT by wagglebee
VIRGINIA BEACH — Republicans reeling from U.S. Rep. Edward L. Schrock's decision not to seek a third term picked a state delegate from Norfolk today to replace him on the Nov. 2 ballot.
The Second Congressional District Republican Committee voted by secret ballot to nominate Del. Thelma Drake, a real estate agent, to take on Democrat lawyer David B. Ashe.
Schrock, 63, a married retired Navy captain who did two tours of duty in Vietnam and was popular among conservatives, cited unspecified "allegations" for his surprise decision to retire Monday.
A Web log has published claims since Aug. 19 that Schrock solicited for sex with another man on a gay telephone dating service.
Schrock, an outspoken foe of gays in the military and supporter of a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriages, did not address the allegation in a five-paragraph statement announcing his decision Monday. He said he will not comment further.
Drake, 55, is a reliable member of the House's conservative GOP majority, serving on the powerful House Finance Committee and opposing a $1.4 billion omnibus tax bill during a discordant 115-day legislative session this year. Seventeen of her fellow Republicans sided with House Democrats on that divisive vote to pass the measure. The taxes take effect Wednesday.
Drake, originally from Elyria, Ohio, is in her fifth term in the House.
Two other potential contenders for Schrock's seat, state Sens. Kenneth W. Stolle and Frank Wagner, both of Virginia Beach, said Tuesday they were not interested.
"I had to weigh all the political considerations and the personal considerations, and I'd have had to take a significant pay cut and maintain two houses while I've got two kids in college," Stolle, an attorney, said in a telephone interview.
Wagner, owner of a shipyard that does extensive contracting work for the Navy, said the economic burdens on him would be too great. He would have to sell the shipyard to avoid a conflict of interest with the federal government.
"You ever try to sell a shipyard?" Wagner said. Another would-be candidate, Virginia Beach Del. John "Doc" Welch III, was in Hawaii and unable to make his case to the committee, said his legislative aide, Robert Rummells.
"He and I talked long and hard about this, but the truth of the matter is the timing of this thing is just not working out in Doc's favor," Rummells said.
The GOP controls eight of the state's 11 U.S. House seats, and Schrock's decision to withdraw threatens to narrow that margin. Incumbents are difficult to unseat, particularly for political newcomers.
Ashe, 36, an attorney and a Marine reservist who served last year in Iraq, said he will change nothing about his campaign because he is confident the GOP will nominate a formidable opponent for him.
"I'm glad that they will because the voters need the choice," Ashe said in a telephone interview. "But we've got so much momentum that I felt good about it anyway."
The Virginia GOP has reeled from a succession of misfortunes since 2001, the year it lost the governor's office to Democrat Mark R. Warner.
In the spring of 2002, the party's executive director, Edmund A. Matricardi III, resigned amid reports that he had illegally monitored confidential conference calls by Democratic lawmakers. He and the party's former chairman, Gary R. Thomson, ultimately pleaded guilty to federal charges in the case.
That same spring, the first Republican speaker of the House of Delegates, S. Vance Wilkins Jr., resigned after The Washington Post reported that he had paid a 26-year-old woman $100,000 to silence her charge that he had groped her.
Wilkins admitted making the payment but denied molesting the woman.
Ping
they should have picked Ollie North.
I would have loved it, but does Ollie live in that district?
Ollie doesn't live here he lives in Northern Virginia.
They have, I believe, a 1-year residency requirement, which he wouldn't meet.
My impression is that this is a "safe" district for the GOP...
Her bio:
http://tinyurl.com/5sv22
Until last night, I hadn't payed any attention to who Ashe even was. Thelma Drake is the perfect nominee, she has been successful as a General Assembly delegate in Norfolk, which has always been "safely" Democratic town. A lot of people are turned-off by Ken Stolle, and Frank Wagner is not too well known.
The fact that she's a woman neutralizes, I think, Ashe's exp as a Marine..
She'll win.
Virginia's a big state and Ollie lives about 4 hours Northwest of here. Thelma Drake is a good choice. I prefer her over Frank Wagner or Ken Stolle but would have really liked Bob McDonnell.
I think that Thelma Drake's legislative experience and base in Norfolk will carry the day.
It's not. Thela is going to have her work cut out for her in the next two months. Shrock held the seat for 2 years, before that it was held for 14 years by Owen Pickett, a bland, undistinguished liberal dem who played the conservative when he was in town.
She's going to face a young, bright ex-Marine recently returned from Iraq. Not going to be a cakewalk.
I agree. What's surprising about Ms. Drake is that she's 63 y/o--she looks much younger, and is quite attractive for her age.
Schrock is 63, Drake is 55. She is very well liked in the area.
Got this message from Paul Jost earlier today:
Good News. I have recently spoken to several members of the Second District Republican Committee. After getting a head start on everyone else and campaigning for over a week to succeed Congressman Schrock, pro-tax Senator Ken Stolle has dropped out for lack of support.
In the first Republican nomination battle since the largest tax increase in Virginia’s history, the score is:
President Bush and the anti taxers - 1
Liberal Pro-taxers – 0
I've never really cared for Ken Stolle.
My mistake, but she still looks younger than she is. I'm happy to hear that she's favored to win, though I'm not surprised.
I think she'll win but it won't be a lock. A lot depends on the image Ashe puts forward. Personally I think Schrock has known for some time that this would blow up on him. I wish he had announced his retirement back in the spring and cited health reasons or something. He isn't denying the homosexual accusations. It's strange that though that these rumors have never come out before; if it's true I'm surprised he's kept it a secret.
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