6th

Roanoke Times-

The former dentist will better serve the district.

In Virginia's 6th House District, we recommend voters choose Carole Pratt to be their new delegate.

The district includes all of Bland County plus parts of Wythe, Pulaski, Giles and Tazewell counties.

Incumbent Republican Anne Crockett-Stark has represented the district for four years. She is the sort of lawmaker who focuses on constituent services. She might be less wonkish than many, but we have rarely seen a legislator more devoted to her people. If someone in her district has a problem, she gets to work on it immediately and finds answers.

When it comes to voting on bills, though, she is a loyal Republican and offers little by way of leadership. She contributes to the obstructionism that has prevented the commonwealth from moving forward in recent years.

Pratt offers more. She, too, is devoted to the community. A dentist, she practiced for more than 30 years locally. She now is retired but continues working to keep her neighbors healthy with the National Rural Health Association. She would be a strong advocate for rural health care in the General Assembly.

But her interests go further. Indeed, the breadth of her vision makes her a more attractive candidate than Crockett-Stark. Pratt recognizes the economic need in her district and wants to push for economic development and assistance in the capital.

She rightly condemned Crockett-Stark for joining Republicans in rejecting $125 million worth of federal unemployment assistance. The unemployment rate in her district is well above the rate for the commonwealth.

Yet Pratt is no mere partisan. She emphasizes the need for consensus building across party lines, especially in defense of rural districts like hers.

Voters in the 6th should send Pratt to Richmond.

http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/223107