Jordan T. Walk

Jordan Thomas Walk (born April 1, 1975) is an American politician and a hopeful for the mayoral seat of Tazewell, Virginia.

Early life and career

Walk was born in Tazewell, Virginia, the fourth of twelve children. Hailing from a devout evangelical family, he was named after the Jordan River in which Jesus of Nazareth was baptised by John the Baptist according to the Gospel of Matthew (3:13). As a youth he attended Stonewall Jackson Elementary School, which was subject to de facto racial segregation due to the small size of both the facility and the local minority population. He graduated from Graham High School before going on to the College of William & Mary, where he received a degree in Chemistry in 1997. There he was an active member of the local chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, serving as Treasurer from 1995-1997.

After graduation, Walk returned to Tazewell, where he worked briefly as a used car salesman before taking a job with C.L. Plummer Plastics Inc. in nearby Smyth County. In 2006 he left the company to launch his political career, announcing his candidacy for the mayoral seat on October 14, 2006. Failing to receive a nomination from the Republican Party, he has opted to run as an independent.

In 2005 he was married to Elizabeth Anne Schumaker, the daughter of C.L. Plummer Inc.'s CEO, Jason Schumaker. They had one child together, Carolyn Anne, before getting divorced early in 2006.

Campaign and policies

Walk has run his campaign on an anti-crime and tax-reductionist platform. He is a proponent of school vouchers, which he claims would free up money necessary for the maintenance of public safety and infrastructure. He has also vowed to discontinue service of the city's electric street car as a burden on taxpayers.

Controversy

Walk's campaign has been criticized for its lack of attention to the needs of lower-income households, particularly those of minorities. Fueling this controversy is Walk's continued use of the word 'Negro' for African Americans ["The Tazewell Trumpeter" May 4, 2007] , and his anti-crime platform which some suggest relies heavily on racial profiling.

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