Wednesday, October 21, 2009
In 8th District, Turner takes on a local titan in Griffith
Morgan Griffith has been firmly in place since 1994, but Democratic newcomer Carter Turner has local roots, too, and is using them.
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roanoke.com/politics
During election seasons the 8th District, which includes Salem and part of Roanoke County, rarely sees much of a race for its House of Delegates seat.
In the 16 years since Morgan Griffith won it in 1993, he's kept it and has been challenged just twice, in 2001 and 2003. He beat those opponents by margins of 18 and 40 points, and in his five other terms as incumbent, he ran unopposed and consistently averaged 99 percent of the vote. The Salem Republican is now House majority leader and he has raised more than $2 million in campaign contributions over the past 15 years.
This is the arena into which Democrat and political newcomer Carter Turner, 40, stepped three months ago when he announced his candidacy for the seat. Turner, an assistant professor at Radford University, was called by local Democrats to step in after a previous candidate dropped out. Prior to that, his only political exposure was in March, when he spoke out in successful opposition to an asphalt plant that was eyeing a location in Glenvar, his neighborhood.
"I didn't want to be a sacrificial lamb," he said of joining the race. "But I came to the realization my community couldn't wait. And I thought ... 'We can do it.' "
Although Turner didn't move to Salem until he was 7, he was raised in the district, played football for Salem High School alongside current Mayor Randy Foley, and is generally seen as a hometown guy.
"One thing I remember is that he came across with such direct concern, looking straight at you when you asked a question," said Walter Robinson, Turner's English teacher at Salem High. "I think he has the ability not to be swayed by politics on an issue, but by what he believes."
Three days into the campaign Foley, Turner's longtime friend, announced his support of the new candidate. Salem's two previous mayors, Howard Packett and Sonny Tarpley, and state Sen. John Edwards and Roanoke City Councilman Rupert Cutler also endorsed Turner.
"This one is different," Griffith admitted, and said Foley's endorsement "gave his [Turner's] campaign credibility."
Still, he pointed out, after high school Turner "was gone for almost 20 years."
"Being a product of the district, I think that helps me understand where constituents will be on an issue," Griffith added. "I've operated a business here on Main Street for 25 years ... that gives me a feel for the community."
It's a community that abounds with his publicity -- in early October Griffith, 51, estimated his staff had visited upward of 4,000 homes in the districts, shaking hands and planting signs. He said he's personally knocked on about 1,000 doors.
A large issue during the race has been campaign contributions -- specifically Griffith's acceptance of them and Turner's refusal -- which is a central piece of his platform.
"I don't want people in my district to be disillusioned because they think, 'My opinion doesn't count because I can't give $15,000,' " Turner said.
"I think people are excited to have a fresh face, someone who will work collaboratively. But we don't have the money he has. He's got millions of dollars from large corporations and I don't."
Griffith has spent almost six times more than Turner this year -- and has far more contributions.
That's not unusual. In his past two races, Griffith outspent opponents 3-to-1 and 8-to-1, respectively.
"I don't know of any other issue he's taken a position on," Griffith said recently on the issue of corporate donations, adding: "The only campaign I've heard is that I'm a bad guy because I take contributions.
"He put out a piece that he has acknowledged went out without his knowledge that said I was selling the district, that I was for sale."
Turner said a flier that called Griffith's loyalties into question was briefly issued by his staff but called it "a miscommunication" and said he threw away about 2,500 copies. He insists his more recent slogan, "Not For Sale," is simply a description of himself.
"I'm not attacking Morgan's character; I'm making a statement about the kind of campaign I'm running," he said. "Whether money has influenced him is up for the public to decide."
One subject on which they both agree is what they see as the primary issue facing the commonwealth over the next four years -- the economy and its drain on state revenue.
Griffith said it's a concern that will extend beyond the current term. He advocates keeping taxes low as a means to strengthen the local economy, a tactic he said worked in the early 1990s and would stimulate business.
Turner said the solution is in finding funds for transportation, which he said will create jobs. He suggests trying to attract businesses to Virginia's rural areas and cultivating technical jobs with grants and other incentives.
Another issue in the race is guns and the National Rifle Association.
Earlier this month, Turner covered a neighborhood in South Roanoke County, meeting those he hoped would become his constituents.
Near Carriage Drive, a stout man in a Virginia Tech T-shirt answered Turner's knock and stepped out onto the porch.
"How do you feel about guns?" he asked the candidate.
"I think it's a fundamental constitutional right, I'm strong on the Second Amendment," Turner told him, then edged toward the inevitable -- the fact that the NRA is endorsing his opponent and also gave Turner a low grade, a score he said he finds suspicious.
"For whatever reason," he told the man, "the NRA gave me a D minus."
The Tech fan smiled, nodded and said, "Well, I was going to look your a-- up anyway."
A few days later, Griffith and Allen Spigle, his political director, went door-to-door in West Salem.
Up a wooded drive along the Roanoke-Salem border, Spigle knocked on a carport door.
Around the side, another door opened and a man with a scoped hunting rifle in one hand strode out toward Spigle, not happy.
"What do you want?" he asked, peering at Spigle and at Griffith, who was approaching from another yard.
"We're campaigning for Morgan Griffith," Spigle explained, anxiously. As the man put his gun down, Spigle seized the moment to add, "He just got an A plus rating by the NRA."
In the end, it was all good: The man with the gun, who said he had thought he was being robbed, turned out to be a former high school classmate of Griffith's, and for a few moments they caught up.
Small world. Or at least small district. The man revealed his house sat in Roanoke, just a bit beyond the Salem border.
"You can't vote for me," Griffith told the man, "But you can always call."
