Thomas stuns Slutzky in Rio

A GOP supporter waved a broom Tuesday at Rivals Sports Bar and Grill after Republicans swept the competitive Albemarle County Board of Supervisors races.

Republican Rodney S. Thomas pulled ahead of Democrat David L. Slutzky, the incumbent, taking the Rio District seat. And Duane Snow, a Republican businessman and grandfather of 13, sailed past a Democrat and an independent for the Samuel Miller seat.

“I feel absolutely wonderful. I feel a deep sense of gratitude to all of those that have worked so hard on my campaign,” Snow said. “I’m going to work hard to keep my promises and commitments to this county.”

Snow said that his commitments include “looking for wastes and inefficiencies. I’m going to listen to the citizens of Albemarle County.”

Snow is a former business owner and had served on the county’s Architectural Review Board.

He received more votes than Democrat Madison Cummings and independent John Lowry.

Snow will replace Sally H. Thomas, who is retiring after 16 years as Samuel Miller’s supervisor.

The Rio victor, Rodney Thomas, said the election results will cause a major shift for the Board of Supervisors.

“I believe everybody was just fed up with what was going on and no results, not getting answers back, not getting the job done, in many ways. … We need to give the county back to the people,” Thomas said. “Now we can work with Ken [Boyd, a Republican] and we can change the cultures of the county and the board. We can give it a new look, a good look, and that doesn’t mean I want to change everything.”

Snow and Thomas have called for fiscal conservatism and proposed using a zero-based budgeting process in which the county basically starts its budget from scratch.

“My first task: It’s probably going to be looking at the budget even harder and making some proposals as we move through it,” Snow said.

Thomas called Slutzky a “pure gentleman,” with Slutzky having congratulated Thomas immediately after it appeared that Thomas had won.

Thomas is a former Planning Commission member and business owner.

Slutzky had earned a reputation for doing extensive research on policy matters, rarely being short on words and introducing innovative and sometimes controversial ideas.

Slutzky said after the election that he’s “truly disappointed I lost,” but that he wishes the new supervisors well.

“I’ll be happy to help in any way that I can,” Slutzky said.

Slutzky added that it will be “interesting” to see how the Republicans will be able to fulfill their campaign promises for improvements in the educational system, among other things, considering their fondness for funding cuts.

“I have a feeling [residents] may be disappointed to see the next budget, but we’ll find out,” Slutzky said.

Dennis S. Rooker, an independent, will continue serving as supervisor of the Jack Jouett District after winning an uncontested race Tuesday.

There will be three Republicans, two Democrats and one independent on the Albemarle Board of Supervisors beginning next year. The current board has three Democrats, two independents and only one Republican.