A graphic posted on Waylin Ross’ Facebook page.Waylin K. Ross smokes during a photo shoot (Anthony ‘Ace’ Johnson photo). Social media posts seem to have taken on added importance for political candidates. This was signified by a couple of local state Senate candidates who were criticized last week for controversial posts. Sen. Amanda Chase, a Republican from Senate District 11, and independent Waylin K. Ross, who is challenging Democrat Joe Morrissey in Senate District 16, made posts on Facebook that resulted in criticism. Chase’s July 3 comments involved women using guns to protect themselves from rape – which came in…

Joe Morrissey, on right, is pictured on the campaign trail earlier this year. (Facebook)Waylin K. Ross (LinkedIn) Should he be the new senator for state Senate District 16, Joe Morrissey – who last week won the Democratic Party nomination – wants to be known as “Senator Pothole.” Morrissey – a controversial former state delegate who has twice lost his law license and was convicted of a misdemeanor for a relationship with a 17-year-old woman whom he later married and had three children with – defeated incumbent state Sen. Rosalyn Dance in the June 11 primary. Morrissey said that WJFN 100.5…

Rosalyn Dance Joe Morrissey Senate District 16 residents will likely decide their next senator in the June 11 Democratic primary, as no Republicans filed for the seat. The independent filing deadline is June 11. Incumbent Democrat Rosalyn “Roz” Dance is being challenged by former Del. “Fighting Joe” Morrissey. Both are running as Democrats. Although the candidates had not agreed to a formal debate by press time – having exchanged emails on the subject over the past few weeks that were copied to local media –  they have spoken to various citizens groups over the past several months. Dance, 71, is…

Wayne PowellAmanda Pohl Two Democrats are vying for their party’s nomination on June 11 in state Senate District 11, with the winner set to challenge first-term Republican incumbent Amanda Chase on Nov. 5. Chase defeated incumbent Stephen Martin and challenger Barry Moore in the Grand Old Party’s primary in 2015 and defeated Democrat Wayne Powell in the 2015 general election, 63 to 36 percent. Now, Powell is running again but is being challenged by Amanda Pohl, who is the data systems and evaluation coordinator for the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, 1118 W. Main St. in Richmond. Powell…

Those who want to vote in the Democratic Party’s House District 62 primary June 11 will have a choice. Local NAACP official Tavorise Marks and Chesterfield County budget official Lindsey Dougherty are running. Marks has worked for the state Department of Health for six-plus years, he said, noting that he began as regional coordinator of the Virginia Family Fatherhood Initiative in January. The program is geared toward men ages 16 to 24. Marks is also a member of the Army Reserve and is pursuing a doctorate in organizational leadership from Regent University of Virginia Beach. “I don’t want to be…