12th District State House Race Shaping Up

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WDBJ) – The November state House race is shaping up in the 12th District.

Thursday, Delegate Chris Hurst announced he is running unopposed on the Democratic ticket.

Pearisburg Town Councilman Jason Ballard was named the Republican candidate earlier this month.

Ballard says the district is ready for a change and not someone who focuses his time in Northern Virginia.

Hurst says now is the time to bring momentum and continue into a third term.

“I think the mantra for us now in this re-election cycle is we need to go forward, not backward,” Hurst said. “The other side clearly already is coming out with attacks saying they want to go back to the way things used to be.”

Local businessman Larry Linkous announced a campaign in February but withdrew from the race a few days later.