VIRGINIA BEACH - Want to run for
mayor in 2008? It's already a crowded
field.
Two years before local residents
go to the polls, one candidate has
a Web site, another is rallying supporters
and donors, and the current mayor
says she plans to run for a sixth
term.
All the candidates have won City
Council seats before and acknowledge
that this is an unusually early start
to the campaign season.
"But two years will go by fast," said
Don Weeks, who quietly launched his
campaign Web site in July and started
sending newsletters via e-mail on
Monday.
Weeks, a home builder, served on
City Council from 1998 to 2000.
Will Sessoms Jr., the former vice
mayor, hasn't put together a campaign
strategy or a team but said, "I'm
trying to actively tell everyone
I know I'm running."
Sessoms, who was on the City Council
from 1988 until 2002, said he will
begin his formal campaign in November
2007. In the meantime, he is trying
to build support.
For the first time, voters will decide
on City Council races in November
rather than May. Local candidates
will be on the same ballot with presidential
and congressional hopefuls.
"Just try to imagine getting your
message out when you have [ to compete
with] multi million- dollar ads," Sessoms
said. "I don't know how it's
not going to be expensive."
And it's not that easy to unseat
Mayor Meyera Oberndorf, who has been
the city's only directly elected
mayor since she took the office in
1988.
Both Sessoms and Weeks stressed that
they respect Oberndorf and the work
she has done for Virginia Beach,
but they said it is time for a change.
Sessoms supported Oberndorf when
she ran in 2004.
"So yes, it will be awkward," Sessoms
said about running against Oberndorf.
Oberndorf said the Internet and the
preponderance of Web logs have made
it easier for candidates to get their
views out early and start soliciting
supporters. "Obviously, there's
a whole new type of campaign being
waged, " Oberndorf said.
Still, she doesn't plan to start
raising money until May 2008, five
months before the election.
"I'm not going to run against anybody," Oberndorf
said. "I'm going to do my normal
job and do it to the best of my ability."
Reach Deirdre Fernandes at (757)
222-5121 or deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com.
