Senate race

The citizens of State Senate District 18 have an opportunity this year to elect a new senator and send Sen. Louise Lucas home to run her many businesses.

During Lucas’s 31 years in public office, the city of Portsmouth, which she represents, has become the laughingstock of Hampton Roads. Tell someone you live in Portsmouth, and they will express sympathy for you; forget selling your house in Portsmouth.

Lucas controls the City Council, which is the butt of jokes and has one convicted felon.

A couple of years ago more than 4,000 signatures were collected on a petition to remove her from office, yet she remains. She claims to be fighting for her constituents, yet she was part of the “brick wall” in the state Senate.

This wall voted down the governor’s recommendation to suspend the gas tax temporarily, remove the grocery tax, and other things to really help the citizens. She governs out of spite, not concern for her constituents. This year she has an opponent.

Anthony “Tony” Goodwin is a Hampton Roads native who runs a small business in Portsmouth.

Goodwin is a person who is concerned about the citizens of the district and has demonstrated this by his decades of service to the community.

Goodwin has been chairman or president of several civic organizations, including the Hampton Roads Chamber Portsmouth Division Board.

The district faces many problems from rampant crime to poor schools to economic issues. We need a state senator who can help solve these problems, not create more.

We need a “Good win” for Virginia. Vote Goodwin by Nov. 7.