Joe Morrissey exploring run against Sen. Dance
Jeremy M. Lazarus | 2/15/2019, 6 a.m.
Joseph D. “Joe” Morrissey is preparing to make a political comeback.
Mr. Morrissey, 61, told the Free Press on Tuesday that he has begun knocking on doors in the city’s East End as he “explores” a Democratic primary challenge to incumbent state Sen. Rosalyn R. Dance in the 16th Senate District, a majority African-American district that stretches from Richmond to Hopewell and Petersburg.
If Mr. Morrissey runs as anticipated, this would be his second attempt to oust Sen. Dance, 71, who has represented the district since January 2015, after winning a special election to fill the seat.
Mr. Morrissey launched a challenge in 2015 for the regular general election, but dropped out before the November election because of health concerns.
A colorful figure on the Richmond political scene, Mr. Morrissey will enter the race as a disbarred lawyer, although he is appealing last year’s judicial panel ruling that resulted in him losing his law license for the second time.
A former member of the Virginia House of Delegates, he lost a 2016 bid to become Richmond’s mayor.
Currently, he hosts a political talk show on a Richmond radio station.
