PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) -- Controversial politician Joe Morrissey is back in the public eye after being elected to serve on the Petersburg City Council, and he's ready to get to work. Despite claiming he was done with politics after losing the Virginia State Senate primary in 2023, Morrissey unsea ted 16-year incumbent W. Howard Myers on Tuesday to represent Petersburg's 5th Ward. He says he felt there was more he had to do. “People said it couldn’t be done," Morrissey said. "'Joe’s got too much baggage. Joe’s been knocked to the ground. He can’t do it. He can’t get up and come back. Was that satisfying? Yes, it was. But that’s consistent with the way I’ve lived my life.” Morrissey has had a decades-long career, serving as Commonwealth's Attorney for the City of Richmond, as a Virginia State Senator and Delegate and an unsuccessful run for Richmond Mayor in 2016. He has faced multiple legal battles, including a charge for contributing to the delinquency of a minor involving a 17-year-old, whom he later married. They have since been divorced. “Most politicians have a setback, or a scandal, if you will. That’s it. They’re done. You know they can’t come back. That’s not the way I was raised or raised my kids, okay. That’s a setback. You’re not defined by that setback. You’re defined by how you react. And the way I react is to get up and come back," Morrissey said. Now, he is focused on addressing the most pertinent needs in Petersburg. While campaigning, Morrissey walked up and down the city's 92 streets, listening to complaints about potholes and blighted buildings. It's now his mission to help fix those issues. “It’s going to be a very transparent government if I have anything to say about it. And I will," he said. As for his aspirations after his four-year term, he says he doesn't have plans right now and is focused on fixing Petersburg. “I’m very humbled to be able to represent the 5th Ward," Morrissey said. “I’m honored to be able to do it, I truly am, and I’m looking forward to it.” ...read more read less