Ending months of speculation, Virginia Beach Commissioner Phil Kellam announced via email tonight that he will not be a candidate for Congress in 2008.
I hope all of you enjoyed the Fourth of July Holiday this past week. I well remember it last year traveling throughout the second district in my campaign for congress. What a day it was.
By November 7, 2006, I spent many more long days on the campaign trail and accomplished most all of the goals of my campaign. However, even in defeat, the residual results have been good. Through the campaign we moved the discussion of public policy issues much closer to center where problem solving is achieved. The candidates for the next General Assembly prove it. And since last November, the desire to replace the incumbent member of congress from the second district with a centrist problem solver has grown even more. I am confident that the Democratic Party can and will nominate the right candidate to replace the incumbent in 2008.
Over the past eight months I have reflected on the 2006 campaign. While I am grateful for the experience and confident I could gain electoral success with your help in 2008, I have made my decision not to be a candidate for congress again. It was an honor to work on such important matters with so many dedicated people. The support of lifelong friends, high officials and people of good will is something I will always remember.
But I can’t ignore the other memory I have of July 4, 2006. After our last campaign stop, I remember rushing to make the 9:30 pm show of Superman, the movie, with my eight year old son. Even though we both had just experienced a wonderful day, I couldn’t help but feel he deserved better from me. Those I love have waited and sacrificed so much for me over the years. Now God has given me an opportunity to adjust my priorities and I have.
My best wishes to you and thank you for your confidence in me-
Sincerely,
Phil
I can only imagine how difficult a decision this was.
With elections every other year, running for Congress requires a candidate to always be in campaign mode. That has to take its toll, not only on the candidate, but on the candidate’s family and friends. It is a tremendous sacrifice. While Phil and I don’t agree on everything, I appreciate the fact that he offered himself to represent us.
I wish Phil, who I’ve gotten to know pretty well over the last couple of years, the very best.
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VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
does this make it more likely that David Ashe will take another run at the seat? The last time I talked with David he was considering the possibility but not inclined if there were to be a serious primary contest.
Drake currently has a full time election team going, had radio ads on the july 4 holiday and always has some community meeting going on, primary fights are good makes canidates stronger for genreal election example last years dems. senate primary, the idea of picking one person to run is nonsense the more the greater choice and somtimes maybe a underdog wins who would have thought allen would lose in 2006 or better yet bill clinton in early 1992 would come close to be president not many.
teacherken – no.
Drake hasn’t moderated the way she actually represents the second district in Washington, but I have to give her credit for at least acting like she takes voters in the district seriously.
On the other hand, it bothers me that we’re still seeing her do stuff like this:
http://cliffschecter.blogspot.com/2007/07/thelma-drake-runs-literally-away-from.html
actually i have another candidate in mind. A man who serve in the Navy Seals back in the 1960’s before going to law school. He rose to be chief legal counsel of Hampton road’s largest fortune five hundred company. He has a considerable amount of connections in the Norfolk downtown business community. He’s been on more boards in the region then anyone I know. In his last primary race he was attacked as being a corporate conservative, time to use that to his advantage. For those of you still wondering who the hell I’m talking about its, Henry D. Light.
I don’t know enough about Henry, being a Beach boy (I sing well, too!) but I find it hard to be enthusiastic about a candidate who listens to a lot of outsider advise, and that’s the vibe I got from the Light/J.J. race.