Ed. — Archived from the Sunday, Nov. 17, print edition.
COURTHOUSE — Virginia Beach Mayor Bobby Dyer won reelection in a crowded field of candidates on Tuesday, Nov. 5, an Election Day that favored City Council incumbents.
Dyer earned nearly 41 percent of the vote, defeating four challengers to earn his second full four-year term. The race boasted the largest field of mayoral candidates since the modern city began electing mayors in 1988.
“It’s very humbling,” Dyer said. “We’re pleased with the outcome. Now we’ve got a new team, a new chemistry, and we’re going to take the city to the next level.”
Dyer said he appreciated support from the voters and took nothing for granted in a race coinciding with the presidential election.
“You never know with these things, especially when you have a very contentious election on a national level,” he said.
Dyer first took office after winning a special election in 2018 following the resignation of former Mayor Will Sessoms. He previously represented the former Centerville District on the City Council.
In this year’s election, Dyer defeated businessperson Richard “R.K” Kowalewitch, former Councilmember John Moss and Councilmembers Chris Taylor, who resigned his District 8 seat effective at the end of the year to run for mayor, and Sabrina Wooten, who did not seek another term in District 7.
Wooten was Dyer’s closest competitor, with 31.7 percent of the vote, unofficial returns show. Moss earned 16.8 percent, Taylor 7.7 percent and Kowalewitch nearly 2.5 percent.
Voters returned all four members of the council who sought reelection this year to their seats — Dyer, Vice Mayor Rosemary Wilson in District 5 and Councilmembers Michael Berlucchi in District 3 and David Hutcheson in District 1.
They will be joined on the next council by Councilmembers-elect Cash Jackson-Green in District 7 and Stacy Cummings, who won a special election in District 8 to complete the four-year term Taylor began nearly two years ago.
During an interview, Hutcheson praised supporters for a team effort and thanked voters. He said he will continue to work on key issues such as public safety and education.
“I think the folks of Kempsville sent a clear direction of what they want and what I’ve been doing the past year,” he said, adding that he will look out for district constituents while working for all city residents.
“There’s just one word for it — grateful,” Berlucchi said during an interview. “Grateful for the trust voters put in me and grateful for the opportunity to serve and continue to build a bright future for the city of Virginia Beach. … I know we can do it.”
Berlucchi said the result of the council elections showed voters are happy to live here and believe the city generally is on the right track. He said the council understands there are issues to address, including affordability, public safety and flood protection.
“I’m really happy that the citizens in District 5 saw fit to elect me for another four years,” Wilson said during an interview this past week. “I’m so happy to represent them, and I’m looking forward to serving them.”
Wilson said she will work to ensure Rudee Loop becomes a park for the citizens and toward free parking at the Oceanfront for residents, as well as ensuring strong support for the Navy.
“We’re still a military town,” she said.
Jackson-Green, during an interview this past week, said he had met with a civic league following his victory and was told people felt the district had been forgotten — a sentiment, he said, that he would like to change as the incoming representative.
“I think the people spoke loud and clear,” Jackson-Green said, “and I think District 7 has the opportunity now to have some attention.”
He defeated three other candidates — Phil Hines, Cody Conner and Leland Jones.
“We knocked on a lot of doors, met a lot of people,” Cummings said during an interview, calling the campaigning process both exhausting and rewarding.
“Now it’s time to get to work,” he added. “I think the result of the City Council elections will mean a much more cohesive group of people.”
