Democrat Nye files to challenge Rep. Drake

Democrat Nye files to challenge Rep. Drake

The political novice says he has raised over $250,000 for the race.

BY DAVID LERMAN

202-824-8224

April 11, 2008

WASHINGTON

Democratic political novice Glenn Nye announced Thursday that he filed signatures to place his name on the ballot to challenge U.S. Rep. Thelma Drake, R-Norfolk.

Nye, who has said he plans to raise $2 million for his campaign by November, also said he raised more than $250,000 in the first quarter of this year. The next filing deadline for congressional campaigns is April 15.

Nye is a former State Department employee who spent nine months in Iraq last year helping run a program to find jobs for Iraqis. While his family has roots in Hampton Roads, Nye entered the race against Drake with little name recognition. When he announced his campaign in January, he said he was renting a home in Virginia Beach and hoped to buy a house there.

Democrats have long targeted Drake's seat for an upset. Drake, a two-term congresswoman and former real estate agent from Norfolk, won re-election in 2006 with 51 percent of the vote.

"I am pleased to officially place my name on the ballot for Congress in Virginia's 2nd District," Nye said in a statement. "As a fifth-generation resident of this district, I have volunteered to serve my country in conflict zones across the world, mostly recently in Iraq, and now am asking for the opportunity to serve here at home."

Nye said he has raised more money so far than Democrat Phil Kellam raised in the first quarter of 2006, when Kellam challenged Drake.

"I am humbled by the strong, early support my campaign has received," Nye said.

Virginia's 2nd District includes parts of Hampton and Norfolk, all of Virginia Beach and all of the Eastern Shore