ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - Three candidates with very different views are hoping to be state senator for the 19th district.
The 19th district covers Roanoke, Franklin, Montgomery, Floyd, Wythe, Carroll, and Bedford Counties and Salem City.
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Ralph Smith who served the 19th district since 2008 decided not to seek another term.
Republican David Suetterlein served as Senator Smith's legislative director since 2008.
He's focused on making it easier to start and expand businesses and SOL reforms.
"It's not just SOLs but standardized testing as a whole," says Suetterlein. "In addition to SOLs our students are being asked to take other standardized testing and I don't think we're getting as much results out of that."
While his opponent Democrat Mike Hamlar is also interested in reforming SOLs all three clash on other topics like Obamacare.
As a businessman Hamlar says he supports the Affordable Care Act and that it's the best measure we have now.
"The Affordable Care Act I can tell you as a business owner saves our company 33% a month by doing nothing," says Hamlar.
However Nelson and Suetterlein are against it. Both say insurance rates are going up and Nelson says Obamacare is destroying jobs.
Nelson decided to run when Smith decided not to seek another term. For his campaign he's focused on two issues he wants to see addressed if elected.
"My focus is on economic development and transportation," says Nelson. "Route 220 south is the same road I've been driving since 1971. They've been promising to upgrade and they've done nothing."