17th Senate District

 

Election:  Tue, Nov. 4, 2003, 6 AM to 7 PM

Voting locations:  All normal polling places

Jurisdictions:  Counties of Culpeper, Louisa, Madison & Orange (all),
Spotsylvania County (part), Fredericksburg City (part)

Click here to verify that you live in this district.

 

                    | Issues at a Glance | Funds raised | Ratings | Endorsements |

                  | Positions on issues | Political commentary | Race at a Glance |

Updated 10-31-03

Contact the candidates

R. Edward “Edd” Houck* (D)

Contact info:

Tel: 540-891-8393

Email: edd@senatorhouck.com 

Web: www.senatorhouck.com

PO Box 7

Spotsylvania, VA 22553

 

*incumbent

Robert Stuber (R)

Contact info:

Tel: 540-226-6660 (campaign)

Email: Robert@robertstuber.com

Web: www.robertstuber.com

709 Kenmore Ave.

Fredericksburg, VA 22401

 

Issues at a Glance

 Voter Guide – click here!

       These two candidates appear to differ significantly on issues that impact families. 

        Edd Houck, the Democrat incumbent, moderated his liberal image in the General Assembly this year. He voted for “death tax” repeal, and for the national motto “In God we trust” in public buildings (but against it in ’01).  He consistently votes for a ban on partial birth abortions, but against improved health and safety standards at abortion clinics.  He voted for parental consent (before a minor’s abortion) in ’03, but against parental notification in ’97, and against informed consent for abortion.  He voted for dispensing the “morning after pill” to minors in school, and against informing parents when their child receives medical attention by state employees.  He voted for the car tax cut in ’99 and against it in ’01.  He opposed a ban on casino gambling, opposed a parental rights amendment, opposed local option for Family Life/Sex Ed, and opposed the Standards of Learning.  He supported referenda to increase the Sales Tax and the Income Tax and voted against returning surpluses to the taxpayers.  His Family Foundation pro-family rating rose to 47% this year after averaging 25% since 1993.  He has not returned his Issues Survey response.

       Robert Stuber, the Republican challenger, is regarded as a strong, pro-life, conservative.  He pledges to vote against tax increases.  He supports competition, school choice and intensive phonics to improve the quality of K-12 education.  He supports death tax repeal, limiting growth of spending to inflation plus population growth, returning surpluses to taxpayers, 2nd Amendment rights, parental consent before a minor’s abortion, reducing the family tax burden, and revenue-neutral revisions to the Tax Code. He opposes the gay agenda and taxpayer funding of abortions.  (See his Issues Survey response for more details.) 

        Vote smart.  Call the candidates with questions on issues important to you.

Issues, Ratings, Endorsements, Background

R. Edward “Edd” Houck* (D)

Positions on issues:

 Issues Survey response - Candidate ignored requests to return his Issues Survey

Click here to send Edd an Email with questions on issues important to you.

Voting record

Ratings:

The Family Foundation-47%

NFIB-67%  , Virginia FREE-40%

AFL-CIO-100%

Taxpayer Protection Pledge-No

Endorsements:

 

Personal Background:

Director of Student Services, Fredericksburg City Schools

Fredericksburg, Orange, Culpeper, Madison and Louisa County Chambers of Commerce

Chancellor Ruritan Club

Member, Izaak Walton League

National Trust for Historic Preservation

Episcopalian

Biography

Robert Stuber (R)

Positions on issues:

Issues Survey response–click here

Ratings:

Taxpayer Protection Pledge-Yes

Endorsements:

Madison Project

Virginia Eagle Forum PAC

Virginia Society for Human Life PAC

Personal Background:

Co-founder, Access National Bank, Chantilly

Board member, Spotsylvania County Industrial Development Authority

Member, Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce

Member, Historic Fredericksburg Foundation

Life member, NRA

Member, Izaak Walton League

Presbyterian

Biography

 

Fundraising, Political commentary

 

Funds raised by the candidates: 

Click here to link to Virginia Public Access Project report for this race.

 

Political commentary related to this race or the candidates:

 

Race at a Glance

Although currently represented by Democrat Edd Houck, new boundaries make the district 58% Republican and a potential pick up seat for a conservative candidate, such as Stuber, if he can achieve adequate name recognition.  45% of the district is new to Houck.

 

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