ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – WFXR News is your local election headquarters and as we get closer to Election Day, we take a look at the candidates running for mayor of the City of Roanoke.

David Bowers is one of three candidates on the ballot and was in the studio on Monday, October 28.

Bowers previously served as mayor, grew up in Roanoke and was president of the Roanoke student government at Patrick Henry High School. He was also a city councilman and attorney for 46 years, as well as an adjunct professor at Virginia Western for the U.S. Government.

“I find a lot of discontent among the public at the moment; “I don’t like the way things are going now,” Bowers said. “I tell people that if they like what’s going on in Roanoke, then they should pick one of my two opponents, they are the incumbents and they are somehow responsible for where we are today. But I have a different view of things. “I’m going to take the city in a different direction.”

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Some of the things he believes the city hasn’t done right include:

• The City Council gave itself a 90% increase.

• They ruined the City Council’s city manager selection process, it already cost $500,000 of taxpayer money.

• The rezoning scheme means you can simply divide your house into apartments or multiple units and does not protect the sanctity of single-family homes and, in my opinion, does not preserve the unique character of residential neighborhoods.

When asked about his campaign slogan, “Experience for a Change,” and what it means to him, Bowers said he has represented the people of this city for many years and is proud of the impact his many accomplishments have had on the area. He said he still has new ideas he would like to pursue.

“I’ve had a lot of experience, of course, you know? I represent people who represent people in our city courts and I represent our people on City Council for many years. I worked on things like reopening the Roanoke Hotel and building greenways. We brought the medical school here to build high schools. One of the other things I’m always very proud of is that we really push the activities around the St. Patrick’s Day parade. “I have a lot of new ideas that I want to try to implement here in Roanoke.”

Throughout his years of service, Bowers has been elected as a Democrat and an independent, and is now running as a Republican. When asked to talk about his new ideas and this party change, Bowers quoted former Speaker Regan, stating that he believes the Democratic Party has changed and he sees himself more as a “young Republican.”

“Over the years I think the game has changed. “He has become much more liberal than me.”

Bowers said he believes the public wants a completely new take on things at City Hall because of the “highest level of disenchantment” he can remember in the city in many years.

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