By Paige Gance
On Election Day, local voters will choose between Lexington attorney Joshua O. Elrod and incumbent Robert “Bucky” Joyce in the first contested election for commonwealth’s attorney since Joyce was elected in 2003.
The commonwealth’s attorney, established as an elective office by the state constitution, handles the prosecution of felony offenses in Rockbridge County and Lexington. Buena Vista’s Commonwealth’s Attorney Christopher Russell is not up for election this year.
Joyce, 61, has spent 25 years in the office, starting as assistant commonwealth’s attorney in 1986. Elrod, 39, a son of Lexington Mayor Mimi Elrod and the late president of Washington and Lee University, John Elrod, acknowledged that his campaign is “an uphill battle as a challenger.”
Elrod has practiced law in Lexington for 10 years as a partner in the law firm Mann, Vita, and Elrod. He said almost all of his cases involve criminal defense work, giving him experience in the courtroom. He has never been a prosecutor.
“I’ve focused on the kind of cases that are tried before judges and juries,” said Elrod.
He said he decided to run to improve the administration of the office.
The motto for Joyce’s campaign is, “Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.”
“I have the support of law enforcement,” said Joyce.
“I don’t dispute it,” said Rockbridge County Sheriff Bob Day. Lexington Police Chief Al Thomas could not be reached for comment.
Joyce was born in Lexington and graduated from Lexington High School. He left home to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After he graduated, he returned to Lexington to go to Washington and Lee University’s School of Law.
Elrod also graduated from Lexington High School. Lexington has been his home since his family moved here in 1984. He attended the College of Wooster in Ohio as an undergraduate and received his law degree from the University of Virginia.
He spent two years in California after law school but moved back to Lexington because he did not want to raise his children in a big city far from family.
Both Elrod and Joyce said the race for commonwealth’s attorney has been free from negative campaigning. Their campaigns include door-to-door visits, attendance at community events and personal interaction with voters.
Neither has conducted polls or held fundraising events, relying instead on donations from friends and relatives.
Joyce said he does not see the commonwealth’s attorney as a political office. In 2004, he ran as a Republican for the campaign support and says he continues to do so out of loyalty.
Elrod, who is involved in Democratic politics, said he is running as an independent because he also believes “these constitutional offices are not political offices.”