Six people not on the ballot who may benefit from the results of the Roanoke elections

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By FB Kirkland Real Estate

Six candidates are listed on the ballot today in Roanoke: David Bowers and Mark Lucas for mayor, and Brandon Bushnell, Sherman Lea, Anita Price and Court Rosen for city council.

But they’re not the only people with something to gain from today’s results. They’re supported by a bunch of folks behind the scenes. Here’s five of those behind-the-scenes people who stand to gain big today, depending on how things turn out, and a sixth wild card who may benefit from tonight’s results as well.

1 & 2) Adam Boitnott and Chris Walters.
Walters is the immediate past chairman of the Roanoke Republican City Committee, and Boitnott served as chairman before that. Both worked to inject new energy into a party that’s traditionally struggled to make in-roads in Roanoke, but with limited success. Outside of helping hold the 17th House District for Republicans when William Fralin retired, I can’t think of any major wins they achieved.

But that could all change if Lucas wins tonight. Walters may not be the chairman of the committee now, but he helped recruit Lucas and is running his campaign. Boitnott is working for the campaign as well.

If they help a Republican candidate win a one-on-one race against a Democratic incumbent, both would instantly become possible candidates in future races, or at least be moved up near the top of people that would be recruited by future candidates looking for help winning the city.

3) John Brill.
I first met Brill a few years ago at No Shame Theatre. He’s risen in local GOP circles lately through his involvement with the Roanoke Tea Party and working on Tripp Godsey’s Virginia Senate campaign.

And last month he shocked Walters by defeating him to become the Roanoke City Republican Committee’s new chairman. According to Boitnott, Brill didn’t do much to help the campaign before that point, but since then he’s been putting out signs and soliciting help for door-to-door drives and votes.

If Lucas loses, I don’t know that Brill is much affected — he’s only been chairman for a short time — but if Lucas wins Brill can automatically claim that as a feather in his hat.

4) Sherman Lea Jr.
Sherman Lea Jr. is not only the son of the top vote-getter in the 2008 council race, but he’s also a potential candidate himself. This year, however, he’s been working behind the scenes to coordinate Bowers’ campaign efforts in northwest Roanoke.

Today is a big test for the younger Lea. If the northwest precincts deliver for Bowers, his stock goes up. He becomes a potential candidate or, if he chooses not to run, a go-to guy for future Democratic candidates who want an “in” for northwest Roanoke but don’t want to have to go through Del. Onzlee Ware for help.

If those precincts under-perform, it doesn’t necessarily hurt Lea Jr. in the long term. But it does undercut some of his short-term appeal as a Roanoke politico.

5) Katrina Wood
Wood, who has posted here, is working for Brandon Bushnell. Wood has worked with Occupy Roanoke since 2011, too.

Bushnell isn’t expected to win tonight, but I’ve heard a lot of people compliment his campaign for its ideas, presentation and willingness to engage with potential voters, including those who are critical. That gives him, and those who’ve worked closely with him, a base on which he can build for the future.

If Bushnell outperforms what most people expect tonight — and especially if he pulls off the upset and wins a seat on the council — then everyone involved with that campaign immediately catches momentum for the future.

With Wood’s involvement through Occupy Roanoke and the Bushnell campaign, she could become a fixture of Roanoke politics over coming years.

6) Beth Deel
Deel’s sort of a wild card here. She’s not working with any campaign that I’m aware of, but the activist/entrepreneur/dancer/member of the Market Foundation Board has worked up something of a social media-based write-in campaign for mayor.

Deel posted this on April 25: “I could just unofficially run for mayor if yall want. I mean you could just write my name in, I have more friends on facebook then the number of people who actually vote in the city. Could be fun, let me know what you think. My platform? ‘More Awesome Please’”

Does she shock Bowers and Lucas by pulling off a stunning write-in victory? Almost certainly not. But if she pulls even a few dozen votes, that’s going to catch some people’s attention. If it’s 100 or more, I would fully expect a “Draft Beth Deel” for council or another political post at some point in the near future.

And even if she’s doesn’t want to run for anything, Deel may successfully raise her public profile and build more of an audience/market for her future projects.

Link to original article from Roanoke.com

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