The Virginian-Pilot did a profile of Del. Johnny Joannou in Monday’s paper.
House Majority Leader Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, said Joannou’s philosophy was shaped by his upbringing in Portsmouth. He was raised by Greek parents who came to the United States in the early 20th century. His father was born into a family of 12 siblings, and only four survived into adulthood.
“Johnny is all about protecting the common man,” Griffith said. “That’s his eminent domain position. It’s probably also the root of his position on taxes. The people he grew up with aren’t wealthy, they didn’t have a lot, so he wants to protect them.
“When he talks about immigration, he talks about how his dad immigrated to this country. He feels like people ought to obey the rules like his dad did,” he said.
[…]
Even so, he is not above challenging the Republican establishment. Many legislators agree that the ugliest hour of the 2007 assembly came when Joannou and Del. Kenneth Melvin, D-Portsmouth, pleaded with the House not to re-elect Portsmouth Circuit Judge Dean W. Sword Jr.
Joannou said reappointing Sword will “hurt working people.”
Joannou, a former state Senator, represents the 79th district in the House of Delegates. He will face challenger Henry Light in the Democratic primary.
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VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
Thanks for covering this—when I saw the story I nearly flipped out. Unbelievable that Minimum would write something so slanted.
It’s like Joannou called in an old favor. Nowhere did they mention any kind of opposition at all.
Henry Light will be at the Norfolk Democrats meeting on Wednesday and the Chesapeake Democrats meeting on Thursday. For those of you in the area who are curious about him, check Henry Light out there.
I can’t believe that the Pilot is so bereft of stories they had to give Joannou a journalistic hummer. Spoils the start of my week to see that DINO fawned over like that. He is a one man spoiler for some of my favorite legislation – childlocks on guns, the Warner tax package, Kaine’s ’06 transportation plan, etc. I hope Light rips him good.