U.S. response may affect delegate's race

Candidate Pollack among Marine Reservists on alert

By ALLEN BROWNING

Valley Banner Staff Writer

Should America go to war, the nascent political campaign of a Woodstock attorney may be one of its early casualties.

In addition to being an independent candidate for the 15th District House of Delegates race, opposing incumbent Delegate Allen Louderback, R-Luray, Bradley G. Pollack is also a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves.

"(Last) Thursday, my commanding officer called, " said Pollack.  "I immediately said I'd be there."

Pollack watched the Thursday evening address of President George W. Bush, packed his bag and slept for one hour before driving to Quantico, just outside Washington, D.C., to report for duty.  However, when he arrived, Pollack found out the situation was not as urgent as he once thought.

"The bottom line is that the mobilization process is a slow one," said Pollack.  "They don't yet need me."

Officially, Pollack "fills a billet in the individual mobilization augment unit that serves the reserve affairs division of headquarters Marine Corps."

As complicated as that sounds, Pollack's new job would entail mainly "pushing papers regarding mobilization," he said.

While that position would not send Pollack overseas, should he be called up for active duty, it will move him out of the area to Quantico and prevent him from campaigning in the election.

"Once on active duty, there is no way that I'd be allowed to campaign," said Pollack.  How that would affect the race for the delegate's seat is not easy to determine.

"I think it would be difficult, if not impossible to remove my name from the ballot at this point," said Pollack.

Pollack filed the necessary election paperwork on the last day before the deadline mandated by the Virginia Board of Elections to oppose Louderback.

Initially, Pollack was a supporter of Louderback, sending him a $25 campaign contribution and a letter in late July stating that "it appears that you are doing a fine job."

However it was the combined forces of the Lonnie Lloyd case in Shenandoah County and the Battle Creek Landfill in Page County that compelled Pollack to run.

Since then, Pollack has escalated his campaign with a series of radio spots on stations throughout the valley that mainly decry the landfill.  It's with these efforts along with rising support in Shenandoah Valley for Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Mark Warner that Pollack hopes will help him win the seat.

While not a democrat, Pollack calls Warner "a friend," dating back to when Pollack served under Warner, who in 1989 managed the political campaign of Governor Douglas Wilder.

When Wilder was elected, Pollack stayed on to help Warner on a committee that helped screen candidates for gubernatorial appointments.

Although desiring the democratic gubernatorial candidate's support, Pollack doesn't want to be beholden to him.

"I'd love (Warner's) support," he said.  "But, to be truly independent, I am basically staying neutral."

Even though Pollack is still concerned about those issues, an even greater one has emerged since the events of September 11.

"The most critical issue is if I am mobilized, there will be nobody there to take my place in this most critical election of the House of Delegates," he said.