Lewis Medlin joins race to represent 19th District in House of Delegates

The Bedford County businessman unsuccessfully campaigned for the seat three previous times.

Lewis Medlin

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Bedford County businessman Lewis Medlin announced Tuesday that he will seek the Democratic nomination to represent the 19th District in the House of Delegates.

Medlin hopes to fill the seat that will soon be left vacant when Del. Lacey Putney, I-Bedford, retires after more than 50 years in the legislature.

If successful at a Democratic firehouse primary on May 30, it will be Medlin’s fourth attempt at the job. He told The Roanoke Times in 2011 that if he didn’t win then, he wouldn’t run again.

“Over the past four months, Democrats, Republicans and Independents from all over this district have been approaching me to run for this office again,” Medlin said in the Tuesday news release. “It was due to this large level of support for my potential candidacy that I have decided to seek this office once again.”

Medlin co-founded his family’s business, E-Z Mount Bracket Co. , in Montvale. He has served as chairman of the Bedford County Democratic Committee, president of the Montvale Rescue Squad and a member of the Jaycees, among other civic involvements.

He said his campaign will focus on issues including “providing a 21st-century public school education for all our children, protecting our seniors’ earned benefits, helping our 19th District families who are out of work, and completing the long overdue Route 220 road improvement project.”

Earlier in May, Botetourt County Supervisor Terry Austin secured the Republican Party’s nod to run for Putney’s seat.

Monday, August 12, 2013