Politics

Portsmouth Elects Black Mayor, Three Members For City Council

By Leonard E. Colvin
Chief Reporter
New Journal & Guide

Portsmouth’s residents have elected Shannon Glover as their new mayor to replace outgoing Mayor John Rowe, along with three Blacks on city council to help govern the city. This gives African Americans control of the city’s government.

Glover, an African American, garnered the highest number of votes in the five-person field, 15,037. Danny W. Meeks was the closest competitor with 12,234 votes.

Three seats were being contested on the Portsmouth Council.

Newcomer De’Andre A. Barnes will join Vice-Mayor Lisa Lucas-Burke, who was re-elected, and former

councilperson, Dr. Mark M. Whitaker, who was returned to the panel after leaving in 2018 due to some personal issues.

An NSU graduate, Barnes was the youngest person when he was earlier elected to the school board.

He runs a nonprofit organization, known as the Portsmouth City Sports Club, Incorporated. The nonprofit has been running for nearly three years now. Annually, the Portsmouth City Sports Club has served more than 600 children through various programs.

Re-elected, Whitaker’s wife was one of the three candidates to secure a seat on the school board.

Ten candidates ran to secure a seat on the council. And Black civic and political leaders feared so many competitors would dilute the African Americans vote and retain the white control of the council.

Portsmouth voters approved the referendum to allow casino gambling in their city.

Other Races

U.S. Senator Mark Warner won another term when he beat Republican Daniel W. Gade.

All three of the incumbents in Congressional districts, 2, 3, and 4 were re-elected.

Congresswoman Elaine Luria won another term in the 2nd Congressional district over Republican Scott Taylor. For the first time in two decades, a Democrat won re-election to the seat.

The state’s longest-serving U.S. Congressperson, Robert Scott of the 3rd District, handily beat his Republican challenger John W. Collick, Jr.

And A. Donald McEachin won another term besting his GOP challenger Rev. Leon Benjamin.

In Virginia Beach incumbent Robert “Bobby” Dyer beat Jody M. Wagner in the race for mayor.

There will continue to be two African American members of the council as Sabrina D. Wooten defeated Eric V. Wray II in the Centerville District.

In Suffolk, Michael D. “Mike” Duman beat incumbent Mayor Linda T. Johnson for the seat.

She was the only female mayor of a major city in the region.

Nansemond Borough incumbent Lue R. Ward won another term.

Suffolk’s Virginia’s longest-serving council member ` Curtis R. Milteer, Sr., who served in the Whaleyville seat for four decades, was defeated by LeOtis L. “Turkey Man” Williams.

Milteer also served as Suffolk’s first Black mayor for several terms.