Pr. William County’s Stewart thows hat in ring for lieutenant governor

Hank Silverberg, wtop.com

WOODBRIDGE, Va. – It’s official. Prince William County’s board of supervisors chairman is running for lieutenant governor in 2013.

Corey Stewart is the first major Republican candidate to announce his candidacy for the post currently held by Republican Bill Bolling.

The post often serves as a launching pad for gubernatorial bids. Also, with the state Senate currently evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, the lieutenant governor has been able to cast some key tiebreaking votes.

Stewart says he wants to continue his fiscal conservative and business friendly policies in Richmond. He also wants to push for more state transportation money.

“The one thing that [the state] needs to do right, if this economic growth and prosperity will continue, is build adequate public infrastructure, and that especially means roads,” says Stewart.

Stewart says that can be done without higher taxes or tolls.

“I think we’ve done a great job in Prince William County and I want to take that same leadership, that same fiscal responsibility, the same fiscal conservatism, the same dedication to the rule of law, and apply that to the entire commonwealth of Virginia.”

Stewart has made headlines primarily for his efforts to crack down on illegal immigrants in the county. Democrats also say Stewart has flip-flopped on limits to new development.

He made the announcement with one of the county’s newest upscale developments, Stonebridge at Potomac Center, in the background.

The Associated Press contributed to this story. Follow Hank Silverberg and WTOP on Twitter.

(Copyright 2012 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)

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