Look out Corey Stewart: here comes Scott Lingamfelter.

Last week, word leaked that Scott Lingamfelter, a Republican state House delegate representing parts of Prince William and Fauquier counties, is planning to run for lieutenant governor in 2013.

With a planned official announcement set for June 28 in Richmond, Lingamfelter confirmed that he is, in fact, adding his name to the list of candidates.

He said during a phone interview Monday that what makes him the best qualified for the job is “a life of service and lots of experience in solving very complex problems.”
The 61-year-old retired Army colonel and Gulf War veteran has spent the last decade in the lower chamber of the General Assembly, etching out an ideologically conservative voting record on both economic and social issues.

On the latter, he joined six other Republicans from Prince William this May in rejecting Gov. Bob McDonnell’s (R) appointment of deputy prosecutor Tracy Thorne-Begland as a judge to the 13th General District Court, given the openly gay Navy veteran’s opposition to the now-defunct “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy 20 years ago.

In a 7.5-minute floor speech, Lingamfelter accused Thorne-Begland of “breaking” his duty and having “bad judgment” as an officer by advocating against “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” while on active duty, though he never mentioned Thorne-Begland or his cause by name.

Thorne-Begland ended up being appointed to the bench anyway by a panel of Richmond judges.

Lingamfelter also sponsored the House bill that repealed Virginia’s limit on handgun purchases to one-gun-per-month and voted for the bills this year that require pregnant women to receive an ultrasound before an abortion.

His record will be put to the test against another conservative Republican diehard in Stewart, the thrice-elected chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors.

A Lake Ridge resident best known for cracking down on illegal immigration, Stewart declared his intention to run statewide in December. He gave up a would-be bid for the LG slot during the 2009 cycle once incumbent Bill Bolling decided to seek re-election.

Bolling is now pitted against another Prince William County resident in the Republican race for governor: Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who lives in Nokesville.

No other locality in Virginia sports as many official contenders and even would-be contenders for statewide office in 2013 than Prince William, which counts three among its ranks in Cuccinelli, Lingamfelter and Stewart.

“We’re going to do very well in Prince William and do extraordinarily well in Fauquier,” said Lingamfelter, saying he expects to win a majority of the vote in Prince William even with Stewart in the race.

When asked if he planned to endorse in the gubernatorial race, Lingamfelter would not offer an endorsement on the spot despite his “particularly close relationship” with Cuccinelli.

“Both of these gentlemen are dear friends of mine,” he said.

The delegate added that he expected the gubernatorial candidates would concentrate on their own races as the LG candidates did the same down-ballot.

As for whether he would run on a ticket with gubernatorial and attorney general candidates prior to the Republicans’ nominating convention next year, Lingamfelter deferred.
He said tickets are something candidates would do after the nomination process is over.

His announcement for statewide office came less than a week after the Republican State Central Committee voted to overturn its decision to nominate its statewide candidates next year in an open primary, during which any registered voter in Virginia could cast a ballot for a candidate.

Instead, the closed convention means that only party activists willing to commit a chunk of a Saturday in Richmond will decide the party’s nominees for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general.

In the Republican race for lieutenant governor, Lingamfelter and Stewart are likely to face state Sen. Steve Martin (R-11th), whose district includes Chesterfield, Amelia and Colonial Heights in the General Assembly.

Other potential candidates, though none are confirmed, include former Virginia Tea Party Patriots Federation Chairwoman Jamie Radtke of Chesterfield County; Virginia Republican Victory Chairman Pete Snyder of Alexandria; and state Sen. Jeff McWaters (R-8th) of Virginia Beach.

Republican blogs also have former state Sen. Jeannemarie Devolites-Davis (R) of Fairfax as a rumored possible candidate.

Radtke most recently lost the Republican primary for U.S. Senate on June 12 to former Sen. George Allen, who takes on Democratic nominee Tim Kaine, the former governor, this fall.

However, her 23 percent of the vote topped the single-digit showings of state Del. Bob Marshall (R-13th) of Manassas and Exodus Faith Ministries Bishop E.W. Jackson of Chesapeake.

Marshall’s two statewide runs, the selection of state Del. Jackson Miller (R-50th) of Manassas to become the state House majority whip, and three credible statewide candidates for 2013 all go to show that Prince William is turning into the “center of gravity” for Republican politics in Virginia, according to Coles District Supervisor Marty Nohe (R).

“I think it speaks volumes about how highly respected Prince William County has become” in Virginia, said the three-time elected supervisor who is so far neutral about who he supports in the LG race.