Bowerbank Bowing Out

Russell County, Va., businessman Jon Bowerbank suspended his Democratic candidacy for lieutenant governor Friday.

Bowerbank, a member of the Russell County Board of Supervisors, immediately threw his support behind fellow Democrat Jody Wagner of Virginia Beach, Va.

“My campaign for lieutenant governor was born from a desire to be of greater service to the people of Virginia,” Bowerbank said in a statement issued Friday afternoon. “That desire has not wavered. In fact, I have found that my service as a member of the Board of Supervisors in Russell County is extremely satisfying. I feel that my colleagues and I are really making a difference in the lives of the people we serve.

“I firmly believe that my central campaign premise – increasing job creation for Virginia centralized through green-nonconventional energy and rebuilding our core infrastructure while we retool our educational system – is as sound now as it was 18 months ago,” he said. “In fact, it is probably even more critical as we are all unfortunately in the midst of a severe economic crisis not experienced since the Great Depression.”

Bowerbank said his first responsibility is to his family and employees at EMATS, an energy management company headquartered in Cedar Bluff, Va., and those responsibilities mean he would not be able to devote his full attention to the campaign.

He also said he has gotten to know Wagner well on the campaign trail and believes she would be a great Democratic nominee and lieutenant governor. The endorsement is not a negative reflection on the party’s other candidate, Mike Signer, of Richmond, Bowerbank added.

Democrats will pick their candidate during a June 9 primary.