Virginia Sen. William Wampler, R-Bristol, who has served in the General Assembly’s upper chamber for more than 20 years, announced Friday that he will not seek re-election in the fall.
“It has been a high honor to represent the citizens of Southwest Virginia for 24 years,” he said. “Six terms is a long time. There have been many trips to Richmond and many nights away from home. There is a time for everything.”
Wampler, first elected in 1987, could have taken over the chairmanship of the powerful Senate Finance Committee if Republicans wrested control of the chamber this fall.
Democrats currently hold a 22-18 edge, and Finance Committee Chairman Charles Colgan, D-Manassas — who is 84 and had been weighing retirement — recently announced that he would seek re-election.
“I am confident I speak for everyone in the Senate Republican Caucus when I say that although we will miss Sen. Wampler dearly, his more than 24 years of faithful service to the people of Southwest and the commonwealth have gone above and beyond the call of duty, and we understand and respect his decision to not seek reelection,” said Senate Minority Leader Thomas Norment Jr., R-James City.
