How much stranger can the race for the seat of retiring Roanoke Del. Onzlee Ware get? First, the establishment candidate, David Trinkle, loses to Sam Rasoul, who cobbled together a diverse coalition of various groups who have felt left out of city politics. Then today, the news breaks that there will be a third candidate in the race, Kimble Reynolds, Jr., a lawyer who filed petitions to run as an independent and has been certified by the Roanoke City registrar. Reynolds is a lawyer with the Martinsville law firm of Kimble Reynolds and Associates, but he and his wife only recently bought a house in Roanoke. Until a year ago, Reynolds served on the Martinsville City Council.
Evidently, Reynolds’ petitions for candidacy were circulated on Sunday and notarized also on Sunday, the day after the firehouse primary that chose Sam Rasoul as the Democratic candidate. Reynolds has always been a Democrat in the past, but this time he is facing a duly chosen Democratic nominee as an independent. He ran against Robert Hurt for House of Delegates in 2003 and lost decisively. He also served as a aide to Tom Perriello when Perriello was in Congress.
All of this happens as the Democrats in the city have rallied behind Sam Rasoul, including the man who lost to him by 44 votes, David Trinkle. Trinkle hosted a unity rally at one of the restaurants he owns in Roanoke. Onzlee Ware, State Sen. John Edwards, the other candidates for the nomination all joined to support the nominee chosen by the people.
This development is certainly a stumbling block in the election for the only seat in the House of Delegates from Southwest Virginia still held by a Democrat. If Mr. Reynolds indeed is a strong Democrat, this is a srange way to show it. At worst, Reynolds will bleed off votes and elect Octavia Johnson, who is ill prepared to serve in the office. At best, he will just be a diversion for Sam Rasoul in his quest for the office. I can think of conspiracy theories to explain this whole thing, but I can’t think of any logical explanation. Can you?
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