In a much-watched local race, Hilary Irons defeated incumbent Matt Cross for the Rockingham County District Three School Board seat. WMRA’s Bridget Manley reports.
CHAZ HAYWOOD: A really watched after race all over Rockingham County, certainly, was the school board race in District Three, and we want to certainly welcome Hilary Irons to the School Board. (Cheering) She’s got a lot to do, but there is no doubt she is going to represent our Republican values, our conservative values well.
VIRGINIA SENATOR MARK OBENSHAIN: Hilary’s going to do a great job on the school board. Congratulations.
County republicans cheered Irons on at their watch party Tuesday night, as Rockingham County Circuit Court Clerk Chaz Haywood introduced the winner to the crowd.
Irons beat Cross with over 50% of the vote, according to the unofficial results from the Rockingham County website.
The win follows months of controversies from Cross, including over $9,000 in fines after failing to file campaign finance reports, a public condemnation by fellow board members after posting a video of minor children fighting in a Harrisonburg city school bathroom, a scuffle with a parent at a high school baseball game, and high rates of absenteeism for board meetings.
Irons positioned herself as a more pragmatic, compassionate conservative and appealed to voters across the district. Many prominent county republicans who had previously supported Cross endorsed Irons in this election.
HILARY IRONS: Thank you for putting your trust in me. I know that that seems like an odd thing to do these days, but I think it's exactly the point. One of my skills is to work together and to find common ground with the people who maybe don't agree and sometimes we're never going to agree. But we need to learn how to function together as a community, and I can't wait to prove that I was the right choice.
Cross did not respond to requests for comment.
