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GOP aims to hold, add area House seats

Del. Mark Cole and Democratic challenger Chuck Feldbush square off once again in the 88th District.

Date published: 10/22/2005

By GEORGE WHITEHURST

Voters in the 88th House of Delegates District might wonder if they're trapped in "Groundhog Day."

Like comedian Bill Murray in that 1993 flick, residents of the 88th are stuck in a time loop as Republican Del. Mark Cole and Democratic challenger Chuck Feldbush square off again.

Once more, Cole is stumping as the anti-tax candidate, proudly pointing to his vote against last year's $1.4 billion tax increase.

And Feldbush is again excoriating Cole as a "do-nothing" legislator who opposed necessary "investments" in transportation, public safety and education.

If the messages are almost identical to those of 2003, the same outcome also is likely, according University of Mary Washington political scientist Stephen Farnsworth.

"To win this election, Cole has to show up with the Republican nomination in one hand, and a pulse in the other," Farnsworth said. "This is not an attack on Cole. He's seen his advantage and he took it. He didn't draw this district."

Cole was still serving on the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors in 2001 when the GOP-controlled House drew the 88th, which includes portions of Spotsylvania, Stafford and Fauquier counties.

The only question, Farnsworth added, is whether Cole will crack 70 percent of the vote.

Both candidates have jumped on this year's hot-button topic, transportation.

Cole brags about legislation he sponsored last year that would have dedicated an extra one-quarter cent of the state sales tax to transportation. It died in the state Senate.

If re-elected, he plans to revive the measure in next year's legislative session and to bump up the amount of money to a half-penny on the sales tax.

Cole hopes such a move will deter anyone from trying to actually raise taxes to boost transportation spending.

"There is no justification to raise taxes of any kind right now," he declared in a recent interview. He points out that the state budget has grown by 15 percent over the past two years, while the population has increased by only about 2 percent.

"When your revenues are growing more than seven times faster than your population, and you still can't meet your critical needs like transportation, you've got more a management problem than a funding problem," he said.

Feldbush is trying to use transportation as a wedge issue, accusing Cole of turning his back on area roads by casting the sole vote against the budget.

Project manager/systems analyst, Northrop Grumman Education: Bachelor's degree, civil engineering technology, Western Kentucky University; associate's degree, computer information systems, Germanna Community College; bachelor of liberal studies in computer science, Mary Washington College Address: 3800 Wilburn Drive, Spotsylvania Offices held: Virginia House of Delegates, 2002-present; Veterans Services Board; Rappahannock River Basin Commission; 1st Congressional District BRAC Task Force; Quantico Civilian-Military Council; House Finance Committee; House Counties, Cites and Towns Committee; House Privileges and Election Committee; Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors, 2000-02; Fredericksburg Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, 2000-02. Date of birth: June 6, 1958 Place of birth: Louisville, Ky. Family: Wife, Genia; four children, ages 11 to 23. Military record: U.S. Navy, 1980-85; U.S. Navy Reserve, 1985-2004. Community/church activities: Member, Colonial Baptist Church; American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars; Friends of the Rappahannock; Ruritan Club; Gideons. Honors, awards won: Aegis Excellence Team award; Navy Commendation Medal (three awards); Navy Achievement Medal (twice); Navy Expeditionary Medal; Mount Olive Baptist Church Community Service Award Platform: "I have experience at both the state and local level." Why voters should choose Cole: "I think I more closely represent the conservative values of the majority of the voters of the 88th District." Retired detective, Prince William County Police Department Education: Associate's degree, administration of justice, Northern Virginia Community College; more than 2,200 hours of job-related training during 29-year career Address: Rock Hill District, North Stafford Offices held: None Date of birth: Aug. 18, 1955 Place of birth: Washington, D.C. Family: Wife, Regina; four children, ages 13 to 22. Military record: Served as a military policeman in the U.S. Air Force Community/church activities: Member of Rock Hill Baptist Church in Stafford; vice commander and bingo chairman of American Legion Post 290; assistant district commissioner for Boy Scouts of America in Stafford; former Little League baseball coach; served on Stafford County Transportation Commission Honors, awards won: 2002 Smooth Operator award from Smooth Operator program of D.C., Maryland and Virginia; American Legion's Legionnaire of the Year award; Boy Scouts of America's District Award of Merit Platform: "I'm running because you can't stand up and complain and not do anything about it." Why voters should choose Feldbush: "We bring ideas and solutions to the table. We are there for [the voters], and we are one of them."

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Date published: 10/22/2005