Getting outspent by more than two-to-one in the race for the 50th District seat in the Virginia House of Delegates didn’t slow Del. Jackson H. Miller.
He won.
Miller, the incumbent Republican, defeated Democrat Jeanette M. Rishell for the third time in Tuesday’s General Election.
Miller, a Prince William County police officer, pulled away early and never looked back, maintaining a 62 percent to 65 percent lead as the votes were counted throughout the night, according to unofficial results posted at the Virginia State Board of Elections Web site.
Rishell called Miller about 8:45 p.m. Tuesday to concede the race.
Miller told a group of about 150 supporters at the City Tavern in Manassas that his campaign had been based on the concepts of government that made sense.
“It’s about ideas of a common sense government, not an out of control government,” he said.
Miller said he plans to address a lot of issues when the General Assembly convenes in January. He said the economy and jobs were the “biggest issues facing the commonwealth.”
Miller defeated Rishell in a special election in 2006 to replace the late Del. Harry Parrish, and again in the 2007 General Election.
According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Rishell raised $346,065 and spent $317,685, while Miller raised $274,924 and spent $152,148.
VPAP, a non-profit, non-partisan organization that monitors money in politics, reported the most recent figures on Oct. 21.
The Democratic Party of Virginia invested $92,569 in Rishell’s campaign, while the Republican party of Virginia backed Miller with $107,346.
Miller said his win was about people “coming together” to support him in the race.
Miller, 42, who was endorsed by the Virginia Education Association and the Virginia chapter of the Federation of Independent Business, ran a campaign stressing education and development of alternative energy sources.
He sponsored legislation in the last General Assembly that would make it easier for wind energy businesses to operate in the commonwealth.
With 13 of 14 precincts reporting, Miller won the race with 62.25 percent of the vote.
Miller represents Manassas, Manassas Park and parts of western Prince William.
