Broy on sheriffs: Party poopers

View larger image Shaun Broy View larger image Jill Holtzman Vogel

State Senate Candidate upset Democrats supported GOP's Vogel

By Candace Sipos -- csipos@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- Days after losing the 27th District state Senate race, Shaun Broy filed formal complaints against two key local Democratic committee members.

The complaints are against Clarke County Sheriff Anthony W. Roper and Winchester Sheriff Leonard Millholland, both for openly supporting Sen. Jill Holtzman Vogel during the campaign.

"I'm going to let the process work it out," Roper said, declining further comment.

Millholland continues to support his decision to endorse Vogel, a Republican who won re-election last week.

"If the Democratic Party wants to smack my hands for doing what I did, more power to them," he said. "... I would do it again tomorrow."

Millholland said he supported Vogel's opponent, Democrat Karen Schultz, four years ago, "but Jill Vogel beat her and Jill has been very supportive of sheriffs and jails across the commonwealth," he said.

"All the sheriffs that I talked to all appreciated what she did for public safety across the commonwealth," he said. "I'm a Democrat. I ran with a 'D' beside my name, but in this case, I can't support a 'D' when the 'R' was the best person for the citizens of the commonwealth."

Millholland said being punished for such an act is an infringement on his First Amendment rights, and said if the committee kicks him out, "They just need to bring it on."

The Virginia Democratic Party Plan states that "no Democratic committee member or officer of any Democratic committee shall publicly support, endorse, or assist any candidate opposed to a Democratic nominee."

If this happens, the code calls for the local Democratic committee to vote on whether this actually took place. If the vote turns out positive, the member is to be removed from the committee automatically. That person will have 10 days after receiving written notice to refute the charges, the plan states.

Broy, 33, switched from an independent candidate to the formal Democratic nominee in mid-August after realizing no one else was going to run against Vogel with the party's label. The local Democratic committee canceled the caucus scheduled for Aug. 16, since Broy was the only candidate who filed for the nomination on time.

At that time, Broy voiced his enthusiasm for the party and the campaign.

"We've had a lot of support and I believe that we have a lot of momentum right now," Broy told the Daily after explaining that he was approached by some local Democratic leaders about joining their team.

Less than two months later, his enthusiasm for the local committee had all but faded. He called the Nov. 8 election, where he ended up with less than 25 percent of the vote, a "reckoning day for Democrats," saying that "the Democratic Party is in pieces."

"Right now, here at the local level, we don't see, feel nor have any association with the Democratic Party of Virginia's leaders," Broy said Nov. 8. "During my campaign, I never got one phone call, one email, nothing from any members of the leadership of the Democratic Party of Virginia, including Chairman [Brian] Moran."

The chairwomen of the Clarke County and Winchester Democratic committees said their respective groups supported Broy, however.

Sue Liggett of the Clarke County group said the committee donated $250 to his campaign, and Mary Dale Jackson of the Winchester committee said the group donated to Broy, but she wasn't sure how much.

"I know that it sounds like kind of a sensational thing, but we're just going to slow down ... and have a discussion," Jackson said, noting that the group won't vote on the complaint until its January meeting.

Liggett has been with the committee since 2000 and said she has never seen this type of complaint filed.

Broy also announced on Sunday his intent to explore a possible run for lieutenant governor in 2013.

"It's a distinct possibility," Broy states on his website. "We must not waste any time in taking the necessary steps to retake our state. I am prepared to fight like hell to win this war. If there has ever been a time in which an opportunity for someone like me to step onto the statewide stage, and connect with regular folks across the Old Dominion, the time is now. We are certainly exploring the opportunity and are taking it very seriously."

Broy did not return calls for comment Monday.

Staff writer Alex Bridges contributed to this story.