THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, November 10, 1995 TAG: 9511090114
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 10 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Long : 142 lines
IT WAS A very good week for Chesapeake Democrats.
The local party's faithful were relieved, although not terribly surprised, when incumbent Clerk of Court Lillie M. Hart staved off a tough challenge by Vista Cotten in Tuesday's ballot.
But Dwight M. Parker's victory over Republican City Councilman Dalton S. Edge, in a special election to finish the term of ousted Vice Mayor Arthur L. Dwyer, was almost too exciting to bear. Republicans on council had appointed Edge to hold the seat until the special election.
``I thought I would be the only Democrat in Chesapeake,'' joked state Del. Lionell Spruill Sr., D-Chesapeake, who warded off a challenger of his own Tuesday. If Parker had lost ``we would have had to bury Mayor (William E.) Ward,'' he said.
A heavy sigh of relief from Democrat Ward, among the first sounds he uttered when addressing jubilant supporters during a Tuesday evening victory rally at the Sunset Manor Hotel on South Military Highway, signaled just how key a race this was for the party.
The balance of power in the city seemed to be shifting irrevocably toward Republicans, particularly after voters swept in a conservative majority on City Council last year.
Ward has struggled, sometimes to no avail, to lead a council that's grown increasingly rancorous and unwilling to mend partisan divides.
Democrats said their call for honesty and civility in city government probably won them the day.
``You notice there was no mudslinging, because there was nothing to be found on those two,'' said Grindly R. Johnson, chairwoman of the Chesapeake Democratic Committee, referring to Hart and Parker.
Cotten's charges that Hart had failed to modernize the clerk's office, insinuating that the 72-year-old incumbent was too old for the position, backfired, Ward said.
``I think playing the age card was a bad move,'' he said. It raised the possibility that Cotten might be capable of other types of discrimination, he said. ``What's next, race? What's next, gender? What's next, religious affiliation?''
Meanwhile, Republicans blamed their City Council defeat on independent candidate William H. ``Bill'' Pierce, who they said drew conservative votes away from Edge.
Pierce acknowledged that he probably stole support from Edge. But he said he had no regrets about running.
``I made a credible showing,'' he said, waiting out the results by himself in the clerk of court's office, where precinct tallies were written up on a giant white board as they came in.
``My campaign was just me, my family, friends and a few people who chose to help me,'' he said. ``For someone who has never run for office in his life and running as an independent, I think I did fairly well.''
Still, as Democrats, Republicans and Pierce digested the results in their own ways, voters likely had more on their minds than which party would control key city posts.
The strong showing by Republican Clerk of Court challenger Cotten - 16,247 votes compared to Hart's 17,027 - and the 6,444 votes that went to Pierce, are evidence that Chesapeake citizens are in the mood to demand some performance from their elected officials.
Specifically, they want a clerk of court's office that's up-to-date on technology and customer service.
And they want a more racially diverse City Council that will stop bickering and start solving the city's problems.
Citizens were angered, for example, when Republicans on council led a bitter charge recently to fire City Manager James W. Rein.
``Some of that backfired,'' said Forrest G. Lankford, an Edge supporter who spent Tuesday evening at what turned into a somber Republican gathering at the Seven Springs Golf Club in Las Gaviotas off Cedar Road. ``He had to go, but the council should have waited till after the election to fire him.''
Edge disagreed.
``The voters I spoke with were very favorable about our actions,'' he said.
Parker, 46, a government teacher at Deep Creek High School, has promised to be a calming force on the city's governing body.
``If I can be a peacemaker on council, maybe we can do something,'' he said.
Vincent D. Carpenter, a financial planner and former student of Parker's, said, ``He is probably the most learned man of process of the daily government as a teacher of governance.
``He is definitely a family man,'' Carpenter said. ``You might find some bowling balls and sports uniforms in his closet, but that's about it. So the integrity is there. And he is a person who can facilitate discussion. He's a listener, he plays devil's advocate and he has a great sense of humor.''
Councilman John W. Butt said, ``I think he's an intelligent man, and we need a Deep Creek voice on council.
``I think he'll vote with his conscience and he'll vote on the issues and not stick to the party line. He gives us a good educational background, and he's a lifelong resident in this area.''
Parker said he would begin working right away to help the city, particularly in solving its water problems. Many Chesapeake residents suffered for months this summer and fall through extremely high chloride and sodium levels in the Northwest River water supply.
That problem should already be on its way to a solution, with the overwhelming approval Tuesday of a referendum allowing city officials to issue bonds to pay for improvements to the water treatment system.
Parker will be the second black member of City Council. Ward has been the council's only representative of the black community, which makes up nearly one third of the city's population, since Spruill left the body in 1993.
``I'm not suggesting that people voted for him because of race,'' Ward said. ``But certainly people didn't vote against him because of race, and that's positive.''
For her part, Hart pledged to boost technology in the clerk's office.
``I plan to continue making improvements to the Circuit Court's office. . . to bring it into the twenty-first century,'' Hart told a cheering crowd at the Sunset Manor, taking a jab at Cotten, who earlier criticized her office for remaining in the ``Jurassic Park'' era.
Almost as soon as the results were announced, candidates and supporters began commenting about future races - all except Hart, who will serve for an eight-year term.
Johnson reminded party followers that ``all of you can rest tomorrow. But Dec. 19 is right around the corner.'' That's when the city's first School Board elections are to be held.
Parker, who will have to defend his council seat again in May, when Dwyer's term would have expired, said he is ready for the challenge.
Edge did not rule out another bid. Neither did Pierce. ILLUSTRATION: Color cover photo by Mort Fryman
[Dwight M. Parker]
Staff photos by MORT FRYMAN
Carla Lear the Oak Grove precinct with her grand-daughter Kristal
Lear after casting her vote.
Pollster Patti Willis was undetered by the steady rain on election
day.
Staff photo by CHARLIE MEADS
Defeated City Councilman Dalton Edge, left, talks with supporter
Harper Powell Tuesday night at the election returns came in.
KEYWORDS: ELECTION ELECTION RESULTS CLERK OF COURT RACE CHESAPEAKE
CITY COUNCILMANIC RACE by CNB