Nichols announces re-election bid

Quitting after serving only one term would be like dropping out halfway through college, Del. Paul Nichols said Monday.

So he’s hoping that voters will send him back to Richmond for another two years toward his “degree.”

The Democrat formally announced his intention to seek re-election to the seat representing the 51st District, which includes Lake Ridge, Occoquan, part of Dale City and part of Woodbridge.

He’ll face Republican Rich Anderson, an Air Force veteran and former Department of Defense adviser, on Nov. 3.

The 56-year-old Lake Ridge lawyer grew up in a coal-dominated area of Pennsylvania that people frequently leave when they reach a certain age.

He said he wants the opposite for the 51st District, to make sure it’s a place where people want to stay forever.

“And so I’m all about improving the quality of life around here and making it the No. 1 place in the Washington metropolitan area to live,” Nichols said.

He plans to focus on transportation and education in the campaign.

On the former, Nichols has been an outspoken opponent of high-occupancy toll lanes, which would allow people to drive in carpool lanes without passengers if they paid a fee.

And he’s adamant that Metrorail should be extended south from Springfield.

“We need to have Metro down to Woodbridge and Potomac Mills,” he said.

The lack of this direct link with the nation’s capital is a mark against the region, he said, making it the “stepchild” of the Washington area.

He added that bus rapid transit service also would help unclog area roads.

In terms of education, Nichols said he moved to Prince William County more than three decades ago because of good schools.

So ensuring that teachers are paid well and that class sizes are small is important, he said.

“It’s not providing an adequate education,” Nichols said. “It’s providing the best education you can possibly provide.”

He’s also interested in creating tax incentives for Virginia residents to make sure their homes are energy-efficient and for businesses that create jobs.

Nichols said he believes that spending always should be scrutinized before there’s talk of raising taxes, and that individual rights, including the Second Amendment rights, should be protected.

Those are views that could draw crossover votes from GOP-leaning residents.

In addition, Nichols said his experience in Virginia’s House of Delegates, especially on transportation matters, and his business career give him a leg up in the race.

“Thirty-one years in the community as a businessman: I’ve been creating jobs from the day I started living here in Prince William County,” he said.

Staff writer Jonathan Hunley can be reached at 703-369-5738.