What’s the job? "Commonwealth’s attorney" is Virginia’s gentile, planter-class, we-used-to-be-big-shots-in-England way of saying "prosecutor." It involves running an office of four assistant Commonwealth’s attorneys that handles prosecution of the vast majority of crimes that happen in Albemarle County, everything from drunk driving and animal cruelty to murder and robbery.
 Denise Lunsford, challenging incumbent Camblos, says he doesn’t prepare enough for the job. |
Who’s running? Jim Camblos has been in the office for about 16 years. The ever bow tie-clad Republican has had his eye on other offices, but was passed over this year for an appointment to replace Paul M. Peatross on the Albemarle Circuit Court bench. Challenging Camblos, who ran unopposed in 2003, is Denise Lunsford, a defense attorney who has practiced locally for about 16 years, first with the law firm Michie, Hamlett, Lowry, Rassmussen and Tweel, and later with her own firm.
 With 16 years on the job, Jim Camblos is promoting his experience as county Commonwealth’s attorney. |
What’s at issue? The race has boiled down to whether Camblos is competent and whether Lunsford has the chops. Camblos is focusing on his 16 years of experience. Lunsford too is trying to draw out Camblos’ experience—particularly when residents have felt disgruntled at the way he treated them. Lunsford says Camblos doesn’t prepare enough for cases. In order to show that he’s a good boss, Camblos points out that three attorneys from the city Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office have made lateral career moves to join his staff. Both sides have accused the other of ad hominem attack, though it’s unclear what the opponents have actually said. Lunsford claims that Camblos has in private called her a lesbian (Lunsford has children with a male partner; Camblos has denied the claim), while Camblos has said that she’s the only one attacking his performance (Waldo Jaquith is one of his biggest public detractors and several anonymous posters on his website cvillenews.com have added charges).
Endorsement highlights
Camblos: Albemarle Law Enforcement Association; Current county Sheriff Ed Robb; Scottsville Chief of Police Robert Layman; VMI Chief of Police Michael Marshall; former county sheriffs Terry Hawkins and George Bailey
Lunsford: Former governor Mark Warner; state Senator Creigh Deeds; state Delegate David Toscano; Former state senator Tom Michie; former delegate Mitch Van Yahres; County School Board member Steve Kolezar; County police Detective Jon McKay; JABA CEO Gordon Walker; Susan Russell, who runs uvavictimsofrape.com
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