CHESAPEAKE, Va. — The contest for Chesapeake's Commonwealth's Attorney has intensified into a tense battle, pitting incumbent Democrat Matt Hamel against former prosecutor, Republican David Mick.

Incumbent Matt Hamel, a former Navy prosecutor, is seeking a second term.

"I love being the commonwealth's attorney," he said.

Hamel defended his record, particularly in tackling the backlog he inherited following a courthouse shutdown during COVID.

"We had about 7,000 backlog felonies that we needed to work through," he said, "so I'm very proud of how we built a team in that first year."

Now running as a Democrat, Hamel previously ran for the office as a Republican but said he no longer aligns with party leadership. He is campaigning on successes, like the Elder Abuse Task Force, and creatin

See Full Page