House of Delegates’ Democratic candidate Carter Turner believes if he wins the special election Nov. 6, the resulting 50-50 Republican- Democratic split could lead to one of the most productive periods in recent history because Delegates would have to work together to solve some real problems.
Currently, the House has a 51-49 split between Republicans and Democrats. Turner was explaining his ideas to people at the Salem Farmers Market Tuesday afternoon. He is running for the recently vacated seat representing Salem, Craig County and parts of Roanoke and Montgomery counties. The seat was recently vacated by four-term Delegate Greg Habeeb mid-term because, Republican Habeeb said, he wanted to spend more time with his family and on his law practice. “The vote party line would get nothing done,” he explained. “I think it’s a good chance for some much-needed bipartisanship.” Turner is counting on the third time being the charm to win an elected office. He only has a little over three months to imprint his name on the voters. Glenvar resident Turner ran for Congress against Congressman Morgan Griffith in 2009. And in 2011 he ran against Butch Church, an independent at that time, “and came in second, over a Republican.”
This time Turner is running for the redistricted seat Griffith held until he was elected to Congress. “I’m always struck when I talk with people how much they have in common,” he said an interview Monday, referring to his house-to-house campaigning. “We talk about the stuff that needs to be fixed around here. It renews my hope that we can come together and start to solve some problems.” One of the ways he is spreading his message is by riding his bike around the district. “If I see you, I’m going to stop and talk with you,” he said. One of his six major campaign promises is to improve the safety of Interstate 81. “We can appropriate ways to pay for one more lane from Exit 132 to Botetourt Exit 150. Tolls could be put on commercial traffic. It’s going to start to have an effect on our local economy and motorists are putting themselves at risk on 81. We need to start the process of fixing it now.” Turner, who is Radford University’s Associate Director of Advancement and previously was an Associate Professor of Religious Studies, announced his run Aug. 8. Roanoke County Supervisor Joe McNamara, another Republican, was named to replace Habeeb starting Aug. 31 until the special election. McNamara, who owns the Salem Ice Cream Parlor, subsequently announced his plans to run for Habeeb’s former seat. Turner, who was chairman of the local Democratic Committee until three years ago, made his announcement at a traditional location, on the steps of the Roanoke County Courthouse. The following afternoon, he detailed his platform at a less traditional but highly popular location in Salem, Parkway Brewery. Among Turner’s other platform planks listed on his door hanger brochures are his promises to work to: Stop the pipelines; Support our loved ones suffering from opioid addiction; Provide affordable college and job training opportunities; Increase access to broadband, and Help our families get the healthcare they need. On his website, Carterturnerfordelegate. com, Turner states “Our community faces real and critical challenges. The cost of living is rising, we’re losing neighbors to the tragic opioid crisis, and our environment is being threatened. We need our government to recognize the urgency of these issues and take bold actions toward meaningful solutions.” Turner, 48, is a 1987 graduate of Salem High School and a member of the 1986 Regional Championship football team, as well as captain of the school’s tennis team. He graduated from Virginia Tech with a BA in history and earned an MA in Religious and Theological Studies from the University of Delaware. He and his wife of 22 years, Karen, have a daughter, Callaway, a sophomore at Penn State University. Karen Turner is the chief administrative officer at Community Housing Partners. They live with a Brittany Spaniel, Satchmo, 10. Turner has other family in the area: a brother, Tom, who lives in Salem, and sister, Laura Benali in Warrenton, who both graduated from SHS. Their parents are Ned and Betty Turner of Christiansburg. “My mom started the Roanoke College Children’s Choir,” Carter Turner said. Turner knows he is running in an area which traditionally has voted Republican. “I’m not hostile to people who see the world differently from me. I believe I can get things done. They can decide if they want to elect me or not,” he added.
