Qualifications won’t trip up Wagner on road to lieutenant governor post

By Beverly Winston

Special to V Magazine for Women

Jody Wagner intends to do something no other woman has done for 20 years - win a statewide election in Virginia.

The small-business owner, lawyer, mother of four and former state Cabinet officer is deep into her campaign for lieutenant governor, attempting to unseat the Republican incumbent.

If the feat of electing a woman to statewide office seems passé in 21st century Virginia, consider that no woman has won such a race since Mary Sue Terry, a Democrat from Patrick County, won her second term as attorney general in 1989.

Others have tried, including Terry, who lost her bid for governor in 1993. Four years ago, U.S. Rep. Leslie Byrne, D-Fairfax, lost in her effort to become lieutenant governor by less than 1 percent of the vote.

“This year, Jody Wagner is standing up to (Lt. Gov.) Bill Bolling,” Byrne said. “Jody is a friend, and a dedicated Democrat” committed to democratic principles.

Certainly gender politics have played a role in the 2009 political campaign at a time when women make up an estimated 54 percent of the state’s electorate.  State Sen. Creigh Deeds, the Democratic candidate for governor, has consistently pointed out the Republican ticket’s track record of opposing women and family issues, such as improved access to child care, protection of reproductive rights and requiring equal pay for equal work.

But ultimately, the race for lieutenant governor should come down to who is best qualified for the job, said Republican John Chichester, the former state Senate Finance Committee chairman, who made news when he crossed party lines to endorse Wagner, whom he worked with to solve the state’s budget crisis in 2004.

 

“I know that for Jody … it’s about getting the results Virginia needs. I trust her to keep the commonwealth fiscally strong,” said Chichester, who represented the Fredericksburg area for almost 30 years.

When they worked together, Wagner was Treasurer of the commonwealth in Gov. Mark Warner’s administration and Chichester was one of the most influential members of the legislature on fiscal issues. Shortly after Gov. Tim Kaine took office in 2005, he tapped Wagner to be Secretary of Finance.

“She’s focused on creating new jobs, growing the economy, and improving education. With Jody on the leadership team, Virginia has won best-managed state and been named the best state for a child's lifetime success,” Byrne said.

The best-managed state accolade is no generic compliment. The rating comes from Forbes.com, part of the highly regarded business journal that tracks how government affects commerce. Virginia ranked No. 1 four years running, all while Wagner was on the job.

“I’m extremely proud to have been a part of the Warner and Kaine teams that made Virginia the best state in the country for business,” Wagner said in September when the latest ranking was announced.

“This ranking reflects not just our strong business environment, but clearly demonstrates the importance of the investments we’ve made in education over the past eight years,” she said.

“Jody was a critical part of my administration and leadership team,” said Warner, now serving in the U.S. Senate.

“From her strong fiscal stewardship to her ability to negotiate across party lines, she played a key role in many of our most important accomplishments in my four years as governor.  I’m proud to say with Jody’s help, we created new jobs, maintained a strong business environment, and expanded opportunity throughout the commonwealth,” Warner said.

Wagner did not just happen into these jobs. Her professional expertise is in economics and finance, dating back to her undergraduate days at Northwestern University in Chicago, where she met her husband, Alan. She practiced securities and banking law after graduating from Vanderbilt University’s law school.

More recently, she’s gotten a closer view of Virginia’s business climate. She owns and operates Jody’s Inc., a small gourmet popcorn maker with a store on Atlantic Avenue in Virginia Beach and a mail-order business.

But for Wagner, the call to public service has not been louder.

“This is a critical moment for the commonwealth,” she said. “Virginia needs leaders with the experience and knowledge to create new jobs and grow the economy.  I’m proud to have established a record of fiscal responsibility and a willingness to work across party lines over the last eight years.  As lieutenant governor, I’m eager to continue moving Virginia forward by creating bipartisan, commonsense solutions to the challenges facing our families and businesses.”

 

About the Writer

A long-time print journalist, Winston is currently a volunteer with the Jody Wagner for Lieutenant Governor campaign.

 

Name: Jody M. Wagner

Age: 54 (Aug. 6, 1955)

Home: Virginia Beach

Occupation: Owner, Jody’s Inc.

Family:  Husband, Dr. Alan Wagner; children, Rachael (27), Jason (24), Elizabeth (20), and Maxwell (17)

Previous offices: Secretary of Finance, Commonwealth of Virginia (2006-2008); Treasurer, Commonwealth of Virginia (2002-2006)

Other service: Served on the Virginia Public School Authority, the Commonwealth of Virginia Joint Subcommittee Study on Science, Math and Technology Education, Eastern Virginia Medical School Board of Visitors and the Virginia College Buildings Authority.  She is also a former president of the Jewish Family Services of Tidewater and is currently on the board of the Norfolk Foundation.

Website: JodyForVA.com