VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - Mayor Will Sessoms kicked off his campaign for reelection in front of a packed crowd at Eagles' Nest in Hilltop on Thursday.
"We are going to work very, very hard to win this election," Sessoms told the crowd. He says his priorities will be focusing on keeping neighborhoods safe and making sure the school system stays up to par. He also wants to keep a strong relationship with the military.
Sessoms is looking to move past a conflict of interest scandal, where some of his votes faced scrutiny during his time as a division president of TowneBank. Hepleaded no contest to a charge last December.
"I believe that when one looks at what occurred, I made a technical mistake, which I have apologized for," said Sessoms. He says there are more safeguards in place now during city council votes.
"To sit back and say nothing like that will ever happen again, I can't make that promise," Sessoms said. "I'll make every effort for it to never happen again. It was an error. It was a technical mistake that I'm sorry for, but no one is perfect."
Sessoms has three challengers. Longtime Sessoms critic Rick Kowalewitch is running again. He says he wants to challenge the way politics is done in the city.
George Furman, III, is also running. He says he would like to see change in the city's finances. He calls himself a problem solver, and notes his experience working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff as an asset.
Don Weeks says he's running to shift the city's priorities. He wants to see more affordable housing, more open government, and says he'll be focused on maintaining quality schools. The former city councilman haslaunched a website.
Sessoms believes his campaign will be the most organized. Among his supporters, former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell, who's faced his own legal scrutiny, was in attendance. He believes voters will keep the conflict of interest scandal in the past. "He was very honest with the people about what he did and what he didn't do," said McDonnell. "I think people are looking for candor and Americans are very forgiving people."
