For the first time in history, the Virginia House of Delegates will elect a Republican as Speaker of the House, and Del. Vance Wilkins (R-24th) essentially has a lock on the job after his two challengers dropped out of the race yesterday.
"We have finally come of age now as a party. We will elect the first Speaker ever and I am looking forward to the challenges and hope we can do a good job for the people," Wilkins said in an interview with The Cavalier Daily yesterday.
"My vision is longer range than the things we usually look at, much short range legislation will remain the same," he said.
Once elected, Wilkins plans to focus on Republican platforms that were introduced during the election, including education, transportation proposals, rights for senior citizens and toughening crime laws, said Ed Matricardi, executive director of the Republican Party in Virginia. A Republican Party caucus officially will elect the Speaker Sunday.
Delegates John Rust (R-37th) and Lacy Putney (R-82th) both opted yesterday to drop out of the race for Speaker and throw their support behind Wilkins when it became clear that he already had gained the majority of GOP votes.
"We believed that it was in the best interest of the party to be united behind one person," Rust Campaign Manager Myles Lauria said.
Many Republicans support Wilkins because of his experience and because of the prominent role he played in helping the Republicans gain a historic majority in the Nov. 2 General Assembly elections.
"Vance is a great American and a great delegate. Many believe that he is responsible for leading us out of the wilderness, so to speak," Matricardi said.
Capturing the Speakership will give the Republicans tremendous power within the House of Delegates. As Speaker, Wilkins will be able to make committee appointments and assign legislation to certain committees -- an ability the GOP did not have before elections because they had to adhere to a powersharing agreement with the Democrats.
Wilkins will wield great influence because "the Speaker has powers in terms of appointment and legislation that allows the party to influence agenda," said Scott Keeter, chairman of the Department of Public and International Relations at George Mason University.
One of the issues facing the party in the long run is the redrawing of district lines. In 2001, Republicans for the first time will be able to regulate how voters are organized into different districts. This could help them to remain in the majority for many years to come.
"Democrats kept the majority for decades longer because they had the ability to redraw district lines. Now the pen has been transferred and Republicans may do the same thing," said Larry J. Sabato, government and foreign affairs professor.
Republicans, however, said they believe they have such a strong voter base that redrawing lines will neither help nor hinder them.
"Democrats had to gerrymander in order to perpetuate themselves. We don't have that problem because we already have a strong Republican state," Matricardi said.
In the meantime, Republicans are hopeful that Virginia will continue to be a stronghold for the GOP.
"Democrats have ruled for generations in Virginia with an iron fist and that is going to change," Matricardi said.
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