A Democrat will be challenging Republican Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Camblos in this year’s election, Liesel Nowak reports for the Daily Progress. Denise Lunsford has not yet filed her paperwork or formally announced that she’s running, but says that she plans on doing so. She is an attorney, of course, in private practice working in criminal defense. Albemarle County Democratic chairman Fred Hudson says that Lunsford is the only Democrat to express interest in running for the seat thus far. Likewise, Camblos is the only candidate on the Republican side.
I wouldn’t dare describe this race as a cakewalk, but Camblos isn’t what you might call a popular guy. He’s isn’t a particularly nice guy, often appearing to barely control his temper, and voters tend not to appreciate that sort of behavior towards a female opponent. That will be a tough line for him to walk, and this will be quite a race to watch.
Interestingly, on the heels of last week’s residency discussion, Lunsford lives in Charlottesville but is seeking an Albemarle office. Commonwealth’s attorney is the only position in Virginia for which it’s permissible to run in another district, under §15.2-1525. It’s my reading of the law that nonresidents only qualify “if no practicing lawyer who has resided in the county…for the period aforesaid offers for election” but, then, I’m no attorney.
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