Roanoke Mayor David Bowers says he’s considering a run for lieutenant governor next year
David Bowers | Photo by Sam Dean
Former Virginia Secretary of Technology Aneesh Chopra is visiting Roanoke tomorrow, presumably to meet and greet some locals who may support his planned run for lieutenant governor next year.
But the Star City may have a potential candidate of its own for that particular office: Mayor David Bowers.
Bowers said that he’s been getting calls from “longtime friends of mine in the Democratic Party from other parts of the state” asking him to throw his hat in the ring.
“I knew it was getting around a little bit,” Bowers said when asked about rumors he may run. “Let me say that I’ve had friends from other parts of Virginia call me and suggest that I should run. My reaction is, who, what, when, where and why?
“The who is me. The what is lieutenant governor. When is next year. Where, I said, where? North Dakota?”
He’s being facetious about North Dakota, of course. But Bowers continued:
“When it came to the why, their reasons for suggesting it were two fold: First of all I’m one of the longest serving elected Democrats in western Virginia along with [Roanoke Commonwealth's Attorney] Don Caldwell and Jack Kennedy, the clerk down in Wise County. And secondly as the Democratic ticket’s developing, it appears to be a northern Virginia ticket, and so they were suggesting that maybe the ticket needs some geographic balance to it.”
Remember, Del. Onzlee Ware, D-Roanoke, suggested two years ago that he might run for statewide office. (We also posted a discussion thread on Ware’s chances.) But in May, Ware said he’d all but abandoned that idea and will most likely run instead for re-election to his seat in the House of Delegates.
Bowers said he’s not yet decided whether to run for lieutenant governor. But he’s giving it some thought.
“I would say no decision has been made,” he said. “I’m certainly waiting until the presidential race. That’s the first thing, probably. I would say I have had every intention of remaining in the mayor’s office. But others have brought it to my attention and asked me to think about it.”
So what do you think? How does Bowers stack up against Chopra, who under President Barack Obama was the first American Federal Chief Technology Officer of the United States? Does the Democratic statewide ticket for 2013 need more geographic diversity?
– Mason Adams
September 20, 2012 - 3:01 PM
I could have sworn that Bowers ran as an independent when he won back the mayors office after getting voted out.
Lt. Governor? David Bowers?
This conservative enjoyed the laugh he got from that one!
Bob H:
You are correct. Bowers made a play for chairman of the Democratic City Committee in 2007, but failed and then ran as an independent against then-Mayor Nelson Harris. He won and then eventually rejoined the city Democrats at their biennial reorganization in 2009.
– Mason Adams
Didn’t Bowers get contributions of $75,000 from Peter Via when he ran for mayor because Via was assured he would not run for higher office?
Well, isn’t that the Peter Principle in action. I would love to see David Bowers become someone else’s burden, but I do not wish that on the beloved Commonwealth!
@3 Valerie Garner:
Indeed:
Bowers’ campaign manager, Joan Baker Washburn, who also chairs the Democratic Women’s Club, said Via gave the money because he believed the incumbent mayor wouldn’t use the position as a springboard to higher office.
(Disclosure: I didn’t write that linked story. It was instead covered by former Roanoke County reporter, now PBS NewsHour reporter Katelyn Polantz.)
– Mason Adams
Wonder if he’d want to share the ticket with me? I’d love to be Attorney General. Based on the actions of the incumbent AG, you don’t have to be very bright to have that job. And while I’ve never been a lawyer, I was in a courtroom one time, and that would make me about as fit for the AG job as Bowers would be for the Lt Gov position.
Better than Onzlee Ware, but still … not a chance. The only people who should run for higher office are the ones you don’t want to lose locally.
Anyone who thinks the mouse problem at the market building rivals the 911 terrorist attacks in importance should not settle for AG….Bowers should go right for Governor.
People who have known Bowers from the days of his youth claim he has always had a political fetish. He has apparently expressed interest in just about every political office he has confronted. Making it all the way to mayor of Roanoke in 30 to 40 years does not speak well of his ability to navigate the political landscape. This latest notion is nothing short of STUPID thinking on his part, but as they said “Run David Run”….and that makes me recall another saying from the same movie, “Stupid is as stupid does”.
HAHAHA! He gets a couple of terms, loses Mayor and Congress bid, then two more terms, now running again. See a pattern here? Other than John Edwards, Roanoke City Council members don’t fare well outside the cozy liberal Roanoke area in a centerist Democrat position state. Just ask Gwen Mason and others. I will predict he would not be close in a Democratic primary. Remember you heard that prediction here first. You know what they say about big fish from little ponds who jump to big ponds. Oh, Bob H, this conservative is laughing heartily with you.
How is going to run a state when he can’t even run a city,I’ll vote for him just to get him away from Roanoke.
If this is would get him out of Roanoke, then I wish him a world of best wishes!
Run David, run!
As long as he’s running in another state I’m all for it. Worst excuse for a Mayor you could ever have. Oop’s the monkey at Mill Mountain would be a better choice for the Democratic party. Shows how deperate they are for someone. Boy what a joke. he is the ultimate spinmeister.
This is hilarious. Bowers is incompetent and not even a Democrat. Who does he think would vote for him? I’d call him a Democrat in Name Only, but I don’t want to insult DINOs by linking Bowers to them.
Yeah, all of you NON Bowers folks love “CARILION PUPPETS” like Nelson Harris, huh?! Say what you want, some of Roanoke’s greatest contributions were overseen by MAYOR Bowers, during his 1st terms as Mayor.
From what I have seen of Bolling, I believe Bowers is more than capable to handle the job.
If David Bowers decides to run for LG, he has my vote. He has a sincere interest in representing his constituents, and has done a good job as mayor.
You have a good point, Sandi. Being Lt. Governor of Virginia is largely about attending ribbon cuttings, so that part would play to Bowers’ best strength. Still, even if Bowers were a great mayor, he’d face an uphill battle. It’ll be a while before either party nominates a SWVA politician for statewide office due to Kilgore and Deeds losing.