GOP candidates win big

STAFFORD — Republican candidates dominated Tuesday’s top state seats for election, as well as those for Stafford supervisors.

Republican Bob McDonnell (59 percent) won out over Democrat Creigh Deeds (41 percent of the vote) with 99 percent of precincts reporting.

Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling, a Republican, defeated Democrat Jody Wagner by a strong margin.

And, Republican Virginia Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax, defeated Steve Shannon, a Democrat, also by a strong margin.

House Speaker Bill Howell, R-Stafford, defeated Democrat Craig Ennis in the 28th District, by more than 76 percent of the vote.

House of Delegates member Mark Cole, a Republican, ran unopposed in the 88th District. On Tuesday night as most of the final results rolled in, he noted: “It looks really good statewide — looks like the local candidates did very well.”

Indeed. It was a night for the GOP.

Doug Filler, a Democrat who ran for Falmouth supervisor, agreed that this was not a good year to run on the Democratic ticket. The local Democrats gathered at Foster’s Grille in south Stafford following the election but the evening ended early.

“This was no night for the Democratic Party to party,” said Filler. “The Republicans sent a message; not just here in Virginia but also in New Jersey, and the Democrats got the message.”

Filler and Mark Osborn, an Independent, were defeated by Republican Susan Stimpson, who will take over the Falmouth seat for Chairman George Schwartz, who isn’t running for another term.

Osborn took 21.84 percent of the vote, with Filler taking 28.04 percent.

Republican incumbent Paul Milde, R-Aquia, who ran against R. Paul Ortiz, and Irene Egan, another Independent, won his race by more than 50 percent.

“I’m humbled by the overwhelming support of the voters in the Aquia district who rejected the gutter politics of one of my opponents and I hope to earn the trust of the minority of those who voted against me, in the next four years,” said Milde in an interview on Tuesday night after his victory.

Milde said he was not happy with the campaign that Ortiz ran, calling it “beneath a Marine and beneath voters in Stafford who wanted to focus on the issues.”

Milde congratulated Egan on an honorable campaign.

“I think she might have a future in politics. She conducted herself in a way she and her family can be proud,” he said of his opponent.

Ortiz recently told the Stafford County Sun that the facts he presented to the public regarding Milde “speak for themselves.”

Another Republican winner, Gary Snellings, defeated incumbent M.S. “Joe” Brito and Independent Shawn P. Goss. Brito defeated Snellings four years ago when he was the incumbent on the board.

Snellings’ campaign manager Casey Angel issued a statement on his behalf Tuesday night:

"We wanted to congratulate Mr. Brito and Mr. Goss on a hard-fought campaign that came down to Election Day. In addition, Mr. Snellings is greatly humbled by his election and wants to thank all of his supporters, contributors and well-wishers. Mr. Snellings looks forward to taking over as Hartwood Supervisor in January to fulfill our idea of a more perfect Stafford."

In Garrisonville, incumbent Republican Mark Dudenhefer defeated Democrat Laura Sellers, taking 62.73 percent of the vote.

School Board winners
Stephanie Johnson, Aquia
Doreen Phillips, Hartwood
Ty Schieber (ran unopposed) Garrrisonville
M.G. “Meg” Bohmke (ran unopposed), Falmouth

* Results were unofficial at press time and are subject to change.

Tracy Bell is managing editor of the Stafford County Sun. Marty van Duyne is a contributing writer at the Sun. Reach them at info@staffordcountysun.com.