DV Archive

Incumbent Del. John O’Bannon (R) will face off against his challenger Tom Shields (D) in a debate tonight (Thursday) at the University of Richmond. Both candidates have deep connections to the West End campus. Shields is currently a professor at the institution and Del. O’Bannon is an alum. The college is also in the heart of the district and its interest are front and center for any person representing that area.

Shields is part of a crop of new democratic candidates hoping to knock off long time republicans with the goal of shrinking or even perhaps swinging control of the House of Delegates. O’Bannon, a physician, is not taking Shields for granted in any way. He has a full-time campaign staff that keep the press regularly updated on his activity and the candidate himself has been pressing the flesh like a freshman on his first re-election bid.

It is also worth noting that our political analyst and my good friend Dr. Dan Palazzolo will be moderating the debate.

I hope to get over there for some of the debate and hope to have an update later tonight.

Details on the event can be found after the jump…

PRESS RELEASE

The University of Richmond College Republicans and Young Democrats are sponsoring a debate between the 73rd House of Delegates candidates, Delegate John O’Bannon (R) and Dr. Tom Shields (D) on Thursday, September 10th, 2009 at 7:30PM. The debate will be held at the University of Richmond in the Alice Haynes Room in the Tyler Haynes Commons. The debate is free, and the public is welcome to attend. A reception will follow.

Dr. Daniel Palazzolo, Professor of Political Science at UR, will serve as moderator, and will direct questions on policy issues to the candidates. In the second segment of the debate, audience members will have the opportunity to submit their own questions.

Delegate O’Bannon is a physician and a partner in Neurological Associates, a leading Richmond medical practice. Delegate O’Bannon is the only practicing physician in the General Assembly, where he has served since 2001.

Dr. Shields teaches leadership classes at the University of Richmond, and directs its Center for Leadership in Education. Dr. Shields works with the public schools to incorporate leadership principles into education – the topic of his research. With a doctorate in public policy, Dr. Shields teaches in the summer at UVA’s Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership.