Jul 29, 2005  |  By: EARTHA JANE MELZE  | COMMENTS     

In Virginia’s June primary election, six Republican incumbents in the state’s legislature faced challengers who said they were not conservative enough. Only one of the challengers managed to upset an incumbent, and some observers claim he used an anti-gay tactic to help him do it.

On his Web site and in interviews during the campaign, Chris Craddock, Republican candidate for delegate in the 67th district, positioned himself as more conservative on social issues than incumbent Gary Reese in part by falsely claiming that Reese was once endorsed by the Washington Blade. When pressed for specifics on the claim, Craddock said that Reese was backed by the Blade 15 years ago.

But Lisa Keen, the Blade’s senior editor at the time, said that during her tenure, the Blade did not issue candidate endorsements.

Despite Craddock’s implied characterization of his opponent as pro-gay, Equality Virginia, the state’s largest gay and lesbian civil rights organization, lists Reese as having voted on the wrong side of every measure it supported in the last session. Reese did not return Blade calls seeking comment.

Only about 10 percent of the registered voters in Virginia turned out for the primary.

Athletic and blond, Craddock, a 26-year-old soccer coach and youth pastor, is the father of a 1-year-old daughter. He was born, raised and educated in Fairfax County, worked his way through college at his family’s business and married the pastor’s daughter. They host Sunday school sessions at their home.

Asked how he thought his religious values would affect his work as a delegate, Craddock said, “I am a Christian.”

“Christians and gays hate and despise each other,” Craddock said in a follow-up phone interview. Still, Craddock said, he is not the monster some gay voters may perceive him to be, and that he believes everyone deserves to be treated with respect.

Craddock will face Democratic candidate Chuck Caputo and Libertarian Party candidate Charles Eby in the General Election. Republicans have represented the 67th district since 1988.

Caputo, retired from a career in the federal government, is vice chair of the Northern Virginia Community College Board of Trustees and emphasizes the need for consensus building in Richmond.

Asked about his position on gay rights issues, Craddock told the Blade, “The healthiest situation is for a child to have a mother and a father. … The state has an interest in promoting the healthiest situations.”

The state shouldn’t subsidize unmarried couples, Craddock said, and unmarried people shouldn’t have the ability to share health insurance.

Craddock appeared unaware of this year’s move by the Virginia Assembly to overturn a state law preventing private companies from offering health benefits to domestic partners.

Emphasis on ‘family’
“Family” is the basis for most planks in Craddock’s platform — reduce traffic so people can have more time with their families, lower taxes to reduce financial burdens on families — and he opposes marriage rights for gays.

Craddock said he would oppose same-sex marriage rights and civil unions because they detract from marriage. He said he believes homosexuality is immoral, but he has some gay friends.

According to the Virginia State Board of Elections, Craddock’s campaign has reported $129,749 in campaign contributions. The Craddock campaign is supported by Virginia Conservative Action PAC.