Challenger to Va. House Speaker Looking for Upset

Susan Stimpson is hoping the anti-incumbent mood that helped a little-known economics professor unseat the second most powerful member of the U.S. House last year is still strong among Virginia's Republican voters.

The tea party favorite Stimpson is trying to upset long-time Virginia House Speaker William J. Howell in the June 9 GOP primary, a victory that would be of similar magnitude on a state level to Dave Brat's stunning defeat of then-U.S. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor last year.

Stimpson said Republicans in Howell's Fredericksburg-area state House district, which is near Cantor's old Richmond-area congressional district, have grown weary of the man who has represented them for 28 years.

``The overall frustration that people have with longtime career politicians is definitely a dynamic in this race,'' she said. ``Really, we are tired of the arrogance of power.''

Stimpson, a former political protégé of Howell's, said the speaker has become a faux conservative willing to put aside principles in order to cater to deep-pocketed special interests. She points to Howell's support for raising taxes to pay for new transportation spending as proof that he's lost his way. The anti-tax group, Americans for Tax Reform, is helping Stimpson's campaign with a website devoted to attacking Howell.

Stimpson also accused him of improperly using his political power to have the state elections board quietly change policy on absentee vote request forms in a way that benefits his campaign, a charge the Howell campaign denies.

For his part, Howell said he's not making the same mistakes Cantor did.

``Eric, I don't think, took it as seriously as he should of,'' Howell said last week at a rustic log cabin he owns near the Rappahannock River, where he runs his law practice and district office.

Howell said he's not running negative ads against Stimpson like Cantor did with Brat _ ``I never mention her,'' Howell said _ and has focused his campaign on his longstanding connection to the community. His campaign launched a ``We know Bill'' webpage that has personal testimonies from people who have known Howell during the 40 years he's lived in Fredericksburg.

The top state Republican fundraiser, Howell has a well-financed campaign. A team of young field staff were at work during a recent weekday making calls and sending personalized postcards to potential voters.

The 72-year-old Howell, who has never had a close race while in office, said he's been ``energized'' by the campaign and said the large number of Howell yard signs around his district is a good omen about his chances.

Shaun Kenney, former executive director of the Republican Party of Virginia, said Howell is in much better shape than Cantor was a year ago.

``That race is over,'' said. ``Unless something catastrophic occurs, Bill is going to win.''

But Stimpson, whose campaign has seen the recent departure of two top aides, said the momentum in turning her way.

``You have the chattering class that has their opinion of what's going on and you have what's actually going on on the ground,'' she said.

Besides the Howell-Stimpson race, some of the most watched primaries are for contests to replace retiring senators. Democrats, led by Gov. Terry McAuliffe, plan to spend heavily in the general election to try and retake the upper chamber. Their prime target is the Richmond-area seat held by retiring moderate Republican Sen. John Watkins. The party establishment is hoping that Chesterfield County Board Supervisor Dan Gecker can fend off a liberal challenger to secure the Democratic nomination.

Meanwhile, the retirement of another Richmond-area moderate Republican, Sen. Walter Stosch, has led to a fierce four-way battle to be his GOP successor.