Good running unopposed after accepting position in CA’s office
By Randy Arrington
LURAY, Aug. 1 — On Thursday, Luray Councilman Charles “Chuck” Butler informed Page Valley News that he will not be seeking the Commonwealth’s Attorney position as an independent candidate in the November general election.
During a mid-June mass meeting, the Page County Republican Committee heavily favored former marine Chapman Good as its nominee for Commonwealth’s Attorney, with a 51-8 vote over Butler. The Luray attorney is a self-described “life-long fiscal conservative” who served as Vice Chairman of the local GOP committee for eight years and as Chairman for two years.
Despite losing the battle for his party’s nomination, Butler still had the option to file as an independent candidate by the Aug. 15 deadline.
“At the present time, I plan to take a couple of weeks to think about it, pray about it, consult my family and friends,” Butler told PVN following the June meeting of local Republicans.
However, this week he put all speculation to rest.
“[I] have decided not to run for Commonwealth’s Attorney,” Butler stated to PVN through a July 31 email, which included no further comment.
Butler won his first, four-year term on the Luray Council in November, which extends through Dec. 31, 2028.
While all other races required candidates to file by June 17 in order to appear on the ballot, the Commonwealth’s Attorney race was deemed a “special election” and has an extended candidate deadline of Aug. 15 because the vacancy occurred after the last November election.
The race for the next Commonwealth’s Attorney in Page County began with the May departure of Bryan Cave for a position on the bench in the Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court in the 26th Judicial District. His investiture was held on May 22, and Cave took the bench on June 1.
On April 29, the court issued an order appointing Page County’s Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Armanda Clymer as the interim Commonwealth’s Attorney until the Nov. 4 special election. Neither the current deputy nor the current assistant commonwealth’s attorney (W. Andrew Harding) were eligible to run for the office since they do not reside in Page County.
Soon after the GOP’s mid-June decision to endorse Good, the Page County native and Fredericksburg defense attorney was hired by Clymer to begin working in the local Commonwealth’s Attorney office as an assistant.
Good, the son of Page County Sheriff’s Office Captain, Ikey Good, now stands as the lone candidate in the Commonwealth’s Attorney race. He was born and raised in Luray, attending both Luary Elementary and Luray High School, graduating in 2001. After working various construction jobs in and out of the county, he joined the United States Marine Corps in 2005, serving as an infantryman and deploying multiple times to combat operations in Iraq.
After receiving an honorable discharge from active duty, Good went on to attend George Mason University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History. Subsequently, he would earn his Juris Doctorate from the Antonin Scalia Law School at GMU.
The upcoming election for Page County Commonwealth’s Attorney will fill the position through the remainder of Cave’s term, which extends through Dec. 31, 2027.
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Mr. Chuck Butler’s handling of my custody case was utterly deplorable. His failure to properly manage five subpoenas led to significant errors, forcing a continuance of the case. This incompetence not only undermined the legal proceedings but also caused substantial inconvenience and financial loss. My father traveled overseas specifically to testify, yet Mr. Butler’s mistakes rendered his efforts entirely futile. When I attempted to address these issues via email, seeking clarification and accountability, Mr. Butler failed to respond, displaying a profound lack of professionalism and disregard for my concerns.
The public needs to be aware of this as his carelessness reflects an unacceptable standard of legal practice.