Today may be Election Day in Arlington, but the Arlington Democratic party may well be watching other jurisdictions’ elections more closely.
Virginia is one of the few states with a “serious shot” at flipping both its House and Senate blue this election, an outcome Democratic leaders have long hoped for to pass a more progressive agenda in Richmond and boost Democratic presidential candidates come next November. Acknowledging that Arlington voters overwhelmingly vote blue already, the local party is casting its support out wider to help other Democratic candidates in the state.
“Arlington is fortunate to have an electorate that largely supports progressive candidates, as well as very engaged volunteers,” Arlington Democrats Chair Jill Caiazzo said in a statement yesterday (Monday). “Arlington Dems decided early to unleash its resources to support strategic contests beyond Arlington.”
“Our volunteers have fought hard across the state to elect Democratic candidates to the General Assembly who will pass important legislation on healthcare accessibility, economic opportunity for all, gun safety, women’s, voter, and reproductive rights, and other critical issues,” said Caiazzo.
Overall, the party said it has lent support to 14 House of Delegates and 7 state Senate candidates in Chesterfield, Fairfax, Fauquier, Fredericksburg, and Prince William counties, as well as the Virginia Beach. The roster of incumbent and challenger candidates supported include:
- Sheila Bynum-Coleman for Delegate District 66 (Chesterfield)
- Jennifer Carroll Foy for Del. District (Ashburn/Prince William)
- Lee Carter for Del. District 50 (Manassas/Prince William)
- Joshua Cole for Del. District 28 (Fredericksburg/Stafford)
- Wendy Gooditis for Del. District 10 (Loudoun/Frederick)
- Danica Roem for Del. District 13 (Manassas)
- Ibraheem Samirah for Del. District 86 (Fairfax/Loudoun)
- Kathy Tran Del. District 42 (Fairfax)
In the last two months, the party supported the General Assembly candidates by sending postcards (20,000), deploying volunteer canvassers (100), and running phone banks (25.)
It’s Election Day! Don’t forget to vote. Thank you @arlingtondems volunteers braving the cold to hand out sample ballots! pic.twitter.com/H83aoj7ic0
— Monique OGrady (@Monique4APS) November 5, 2019
The efforts to bolster Democrats in other jurisdiction began months ago, as the local party highlighted Loudoun County’s candidate for Senate District 13 (John Bell) and Fairfax County’s candidate for Delegate District 40 (Dan Helmer) and Newport News’ Delegate candidate for District 94 (Shelly Simonds) at its annual Blue Victory Dinner in May.
“We believe this election will have historic implications for Virginia and will be a shot across the bow to the White House that 2020 is coming. We are just getting started,” said Arlington Young Democrats President Dan Matthews.