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Del. Roslyn C. Tyler is seeking another two-year term as Virginia’s 75^th District House of Delegates representative.

The Democratic lawmaker has held the office since 2006. The district includes all of Southampton, Sussex, Greensville and Brunswick counties; the cities of Franklin and Emporia; and part of Lunenburg County.

Howard “Otto” Wachsmann Jr., a pharmacist from Sussex County, again plans to oppose her as the Republican candidate. The two previously ran against each other in the November 2019 election, which resulted in Tyler retaining her seat with 12,346 votes (51%) to Wachsmann’s 11,840 (48.9%).

“I am very humble and appreciative of the support of my constituents and working in Richmond for 15 years as your state representative,” Tyler said. “I ask for your continuous support and vote on November 2, 2021 to keep moving rural Southside Virginia forward and maintain safe community to raise a family.”

In a press release announcing her candidacy, Tyler highlights her efforts to cross party lines, particularly when it comes to broadband internet access and the rights of hunters and sportsmen. In 2017, she cast the deciding vote killing House Bill 1900, which would have imposed a $100 per dog penalty on owners who allow their dogs to run at large on another’s property after being asked not to do so.

In 2021, she sponsored House Bill 2304, which makes permanent a pilot program where electric utilities are permitted to petition the State Corporation Commission to provide broadband capacity to unserved areas of Virginia. According to Virginia’s online legislative information system, HB 2304 passed the House unanimously and has been referred to a special session of the Senate Committee of Commerce and Labor.

Wachsmann, however, sees the current Democratic majority in Richmond as “out of touch” with rural Virginia life.

“As a father, pharmacist, and former small business owner, I understand the challenges facing Southside families during this pandemic,” Wachsmann said. “In Richmond, I’ll use this experience to rebuild our economy and get people back to work. I’ll stand up to the extreme liberal agenda that threatens our rural way of life. We need a new prescription for Southside because we deserve better.”

According to Southampton County Registrar Lynn Burgess, the filing deadline for House of Delegates candidates to appear on the ballot is June 8 for independents, or June 14 if running as a member of a political party. Until that time, she can’t say who definitely will and won’t be on the county’s ballots.