Another Republican enters 5th District race

A Campbell County resident entered the Fifth District scramble Friday for the Republican nomination to run against Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello in 2010.

Ron Ferrin, a political newcomer, said he filed as a candidate with the Federal Election Commission because he’s already doing some fundraising.

Ferrin described himself as a conservative with a passion for supporting schools and educating children.

He said he didn’t consult with many Republican Party leaders before announcing because he expected them to say, “It wasn’t my turn” to seek the office.

Ferrin becomes the seventh announced candidate for the Republican nomination.

He is president of Video Internet Productions, a 10-year-old business that designs Web sites using streaming video to describe the services and products its client businesses offer.

Ferrin said he’s lived in Central Virginia, off and on, since 1977, and he and his family returned to Campbell County three years ago.

He’s a member of the Brookville Ruritan Club, he said. Working with the club, he organized a nonprofit operation called Education Partners that helps businesses donate supplies to schools that have posted wish lists on his Web site.

Ferrin said he had hoped former Rep. Virgil Goode would run against Perriello, but when Goode declined to run, Ferrin said he looked closely at the half-dozen opponents who have emerged.

“I felt I could do better,“ Ferrin said.

He’s the first candidate to announce since state Sen. Robert Hurt, R-Chatham, entered the Fifth District race Oct. 7.

The other announced candidates are Bradley Rees of Bedford County, Michael McPadden of Albemarle County, Feda Kidd Morton of Fluvanna County, Laurence Verga of Albemarle County, and Kenneth C. Boyd, a member of the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors.

Reed is a staff writer for The News & Advance in Lynchburg.