2021 Virginia attorney general candidate Chuck Smith speaks to the audience at Bull Daddy's Restaurant tonight.

 Charles Conrad/Times Virginian

Tonight at Bull Daddy's Restaurant in Appomattox, three Republican candidates for the 2021 Virginia gubernatorial race — Amanda Chase, Kurt Santini and Merle Rutledge — along with attorney general candidate Chuck Smith, spoke to a crowd of around 100 people to address the COVID-19 mandates of Gov. Ralph Northam and how small businesses are affected.

The candidates gave individual speeches before taking pre-written questions from people in attendance.

Each candidate spoke of how they believe the mandates negatively affect small businesses, especially those who have had to close permanently due to financial losses in the midst of the pandemic and government lockdown orders. Another widely commented topic is the belief that Northam and other legislators are overstepping their authority and defying the U.S. Constitution.

See next week's issue of the Times Virginian newspaper for more. Support local journalism by purchasing the issue at a local newsstand or subscribing at www.timesvirginian.com/subscriber_services to receive the print edition or view the full article in the e-edition version.

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