hburgnews.com

I’ve already posted the ballots for Tuesday’s election. Reader Annie left a comment suggesting hburgnews publish a voter guide. I’ve decided to profile the two legislative positions; State Senate and House of Delegates. Someone else can profile the other positions and candidates. Here’s what I can tell you about the State Senate candidates:

Republican incumbent Mark Obenshain is being challenged by Maxine Roles, a Democrat. Here’s a map of the 26th Senate District. There are fewer senators than delegates in General Assembly, so their districts are bigger, and senators hold more legislative sway in Richmond than delegates.

Mark Obenshain:

Obenshain is a lawyer by trade. He’s a partner in one of the biggest law firms in Harrisonburg. Here are the bills that Obenshain introduced in General Assembly last session. Here is his voting record (Excel file). According to data on VPAP, Obenshain’s top 5 campaign contributors are from the legal, technology/communication, real estate/construction, transportation, and health care industries. Here’s a list of references about Obenshain on hburgnews.

On his website, Obenshain touts his “business-friendly leadership,” and pledges to protect “Valley Values of Faith and Family.” He says that he has “worked hard to put criminals behind bars and enhance penalties for gangs and drug felons.”

Maxine Roles:

Maxine Roles co-owns B & J Transmissions in Warren and Page counties with her husband. She doesn’t have a voting record, but she has served as a member of the Executive Board of Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants in Virginia. Here’s a list of all Role’s campaign contributors, and a list of references to her on hburgnews.

On her website, Roles says that she is “committed to looking at ways to prevent crime and reduce the number of victims of crime rather than just leaning on popular platforms of increasing punishments.” She pledges “never to use the Senate position to campaign for higher political office or to gain favor with financial contributors.”