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Senate Leaders to Mirror Va.'s Evolution

Written by Anita Kumar & Bob Lyford of the Washington Post
RICHMOND -- When the state Senate convenes in January, its leaders will reflect a new Virginia. For the first time, an overwhelming number of powerful committees will be run by women and African Americans, all representing Northern Virginia and other growing urban areas in a legislature long dominated by white men representing rural interests. "The Senate in Virginia has always been the ultimate old boys' club," said Sen. R. Creigh Deeds (D-Bath). "Now the Senate in Virginia looks like Virginia." This year, the chairmen of the Senate's 11 permanent committees are white men, and more than half represent rural areas in central and southwest Virginia. But starting in January, they will include seven women and four African Americans, three of them women. There will be only three white men. And all the chairmen will represent Northern Virginia, Hampton Roads and Richmond, according to several senators familiar with a closed-door vote of the Democratic caucus that took place this weekend. The changes reflect a dramatic power shift in a once predominantly rural state where jobs in farming, mining and manufacturing have given way to jobs in service, retail, technology and telecommunications. Although the House of Delegates has several rural Republicans in the leadership, many legislators believe the shift in the Senate will mean a greater focus on roads and transit, growth controls, crime and economic development. The divided General Assembly will meet Jan. 9 for 60 days to pass a two-year budget. Senate Democrats will promote an agenda that includes establishing a pre-kindergarten program proposed by Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D); overhauling mental health laws after the Virginia Tech shooting; changing or repealing the costly, controversial bad-driver fees; and fending off attempts by Republicans to curb services to illegal immigrants. Democrats, who took a 21 to 19 majority in the Senate in the Nov. 6 election, choose chairmen primarily the traditional way: by looking at who has served on each committee the longest. That system does not favor representatives of rural areas, particularly in southwest Virginia. Some senators objected to the lack of rural representation, but seniority prevailed. "The shift in political environment is just catching up with the shift in population and jobs," said Stephen S. Fuller, director of the Center for Regional Analysis at George Mason University. Starting about 1970, the population began to move from rural areas in southern Virginia along the North Carolina and Kentucky borders to more urban areas where jobs were being created. That included Northern Virginia, where companies began receiving millions of dollars in contracts from the federal government. As a result, the population in Northern Virginia has more than doubled since 1970, and the Hampton Roads and Richmond areas also have grown dramatically. Those three areas are now home to two-thirds of the state's population. "The population is moving to urban areas, and there are more people who represent them," said Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple (D-Arlington), who is expected to head the Rules Committee. "But rural areas are an important part of our economy. We're not going to lose sight of that." Senate Democrats also chose Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax) as majority leader at the caucus meeting over the weekend. An unprecedented seven of the chairmen are from Northern Virginia, including Charles J. Colgan (D-Prince William), who will lead the powerful Finance Committee. Three are from Hampton Roads and one from Richmond. Two of them, R. Edward Houck (D-Spotsylvania) and L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth), represent districts that include urban and rural areas. Senators were asked not to talk about the caucus meeting until the results are announced at a news conference next month, but several said privately that the list is not expected to change. The Democratic senators are embroiled in an internal dispute over which 15 senators will sit on each committee, including the coveted Finance Committee. One proposal, which calls for several senior senators to serve on the Finance Committee, would again exclude representatives from southwest Virginia. Deeds, whose diverse district combines urban and rural areas in and around Charlottesville, said he is confident that every senator will take into consideration all of Virginia while making decisions on issues as varied as traffic and farming. "I'm not concerned at all," he said. "We're all in this together." Walter A. Stosch (R-Henrico), the outgoing majority leader, said Saslaw and Democratic leaders are "finding out how difficult it is balancing the interests in the state. "You truly have to take into account geographic diversity, even if it's in conflict with seniority," Stosch said. "I hope they will make every area in Virginia count. You can't neglect any part of the commonwealth." Sen. Mamie E. Locke (D-Hampton), who is expected to become chairman of the General Laws and Technology Committee, said past Senate chairmen have come from rural areas. "It will go back and forth," she said. "It will always be this urban and rural back-and-forth." Staff researcher Bob Lyford contributed to this report.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 22 November 2007 )