BY CAROL VAUGHN, Eastern Shore Post
Robert Bloxom Jr., who first won election to the House of Delegates in 2014, appears to be set for re-election after what might have been the biggest test of his political career.
The Republican delegate who previously said he would compete for the GOP nomination against Bloxom announced Tuesday he will not seek election to represent the new 100th House District.
The decision by Delegate Timothy V. Anderson averts a Republican primary this spring and ensures Bloxom, of Accomack County, will be on the ballot in November in a Republican-leaning district.
Redistricting after the 2020 Census placed Bloxom and state Sen. Lynwood Lewis in districts with Hampton Roads incumbents — meaning this year could have been the first time in hundreds of years that an Eastern Shore resident wasn’t in the Virginia General Assembly or its predecessor.
“After careful thought, prayer and reflection with my family, I will not be seeking reelection in the new 100th House District and fully endorse Rob Bloxom to represent my current district in Virginia Beach and his current district on the Eastern Shore,” Del. Timothy V. Anderson said in a post on his campaign Facebook page.
Anderson in an email to the Post confirmed the statement.
Anderson, of Virginia Beach, a 48-year-old attorney and freshman delegate, represents the 83rd district in the Virginia House of Delegates.
Bloxom, 60, who lives near Parksley, has represented the 100th district in the House of Delegates since 2014, when he won a special election.
Bloxom owns Shore Tire & Auto in Onley, two NAPA Auto Parts stores, and Egret Pointe Seafood Company.
The two men were set to face off in a June primary, after redistricting resulted in both living in the newly redrawn 100th district.
“It is unfortunate that through the new redistricting process that so many incumbents are paired together,” Bloxom said Tuesday.
“We are losing a wealth of knowledge and experience on both sides of the aisle,” he said, adding, “I look forward to working with Tim in his future endeavors.”
The new district lines mean around 56% of the district’s population is on the Eastern Shore — breaking down to around 40% in Accomack and almost 16% in Northampton County — and 44% is in Virginia Beach, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
Anderson in the post said he intends to finish his term in the House of Delegates “and will wait for the next door in my political life to open.”
He thanked his supporters for “your prayers, your kind words and your support.”
Anderson has said in the past that Bloxom “has a very left-leaning voting history.”
In another Facebook post last week, Anderson addressed rumors about his next political move, including a rumor he is running for Comonwealth’s Attorney in Chesterfield.
“Allow me to address that head on. It was never my intention to run for that seat,” he said, but added, “However, I did poll likely GOP primary voters on name recognition a few weeks ago in Chesterfield and without even talking about running, I polled at 44%.”
Other options Anderson mentioned in the post include running in a primary for an open Senate seat or “sit out 2023 and wait until 2024.”
Bloxom spoke about the history of the Eastern Shore’s representation in the General Assembly last August, after Anderson announced he would seek the GOP nomination.
“We’ve had representation from the Eastern Shore in the seat of government since the House of Burgesses,” he said then, adding, “I don’t think the Eastern Shore people are going to want to give that up. It’s not about Republican; it’s not about Democrat — I think it’s more about us.”
