Local campaigns for supervisor kick off

STAFFORD — Susan Stimpson, chairwoman for the Stafford County Republican Committee, formally announced her candidacy for the Falmouth District seat on the Stafford County Board of Supervisors on Saturday.

“Today I launch my campaign for supervisor of the Falmouth District… I have a vision for our county of how we can create a stronger local economy by having business-friendly policies,” she said, emphasizing a need to create local jobs.

Stimpson described herself as “the mom with the school-aged kids,” and "the commuter” that wishes she could work in Stafford.

“The worst and last thing a leader should do in these times is prevent new jobs from being created. Yet that is exactly why at the current majority has done,” she said.

She took the current board to task regarding what she termed as “partisan bickering.”

“…where there’s arrogance there is sure to be strife and this brings me to my next point — the current majority had become so politically motivated and polarized, they spend more time fighting than passing legislations that makes the lives for all of us here in Stafford better. This doesn’t make them representatives — this just makes them politicians.”

Incumbent Supervisor Mark Dudenhefer, R-Garrisonville, kicked off his campaign April 24 for re-election by way of a fundraiser at the Wingate Hotel on Garrisonville Road. Dudenhefer is currently serving the last year of his first term.

“I’ve thrown down the gauntlet to anyone who wants to run against me,” said the candidate in a telephone interview.

According to Dudenhefer, about 150 people showed up at the affair, including State Sen. Richard Stuart and Delegate Mark Cole.

Dudenhefer said he was able to raise about $4,000 to $5,000 in campaign contributions with the event.

Since taking his seat on the board, Dudenhefer has been an advocate of improving the county’s roads, feeling they are inadequate the meet the area’s burgeoning traffic. Dudenhefer lost his youngest daughter in a fatal traffic accident on a county road in 2004.

He counts his successes in the passage of a transportation bond referendum, the ongoing progress of the Courthouse Road interchange, and in improvements to Garrisonville Road.

Of education, he stated he will work toward better teacher salaries. He noted a need to “replace several of our older schools.”

In the area of growth he said he looks forward to working further on the purchase of development rights and would like to see a cap placed on residential growth.

He said he wants to “push toward a more harmonious” board — one where members can “agree to disagree but not be disagreeable.”

Jim Lawrence is a contributing writer to the Stafford County Sun. Reach him at info@staffordcountysun.com.