They faced off in the summer of 2020, and now Republican Bob Cambridge again will be sharing space on the November ballot with Democrat Takis Karantonis.
Cambridge was announced Monday (June 23) the Arlington County Republican Committee’s County Board nominee. He joins a crowded field that includes Democratic incumbent Takis Karantonis and three independents.
Cambridge told ARLnow that the current Board is not heeding concerns being raised by the community, instead following its own objectives.
“Listening is more important than talking,” he said, pointing to “a lot of very unfortunate decisions made.”
Running an admittedly uphill battle as a Republican in Arlington may not result in victory, but will offer “a good opportunity to get some ideas out there,” said Cambridge, an attorney.
“There are ideas out there, but there’s not a lot that are being acted on,” he said. “I’m seeing a lot of disillusionment. I don’t like not trusting the people we elected. We do need another voice.”
Also on the County Board ballot this fall will be independents Audrey Clement, Jeramy Olmack and Carlos De Castro “DC” Pretelt.
Given comments made by Clement and Olmack at a recent candidate forum sponsored by the Arlington Chamber of Commerce, Karantonis might spend the campaign fending off attacks from both his political left and right.
Cambridge, too, might come in for his share of incoming political fire, given the county’s current political split.
He told ARLnow that local Republicans in the era of Donald Trump do face challenges. “I’m not going to walk away from what it is,” he said.
Cambridge is a second-time candidate, but his first run five years ago probably is a blur to all but the most diehard followers of local politics.
Cambridge was backed by the local GOP in a July 2020 special election necessitated by the death earlier that year of County Board member Erik Gutshall. He received 4.7% of the vote, trailing victor Karantonis (67.2%) and Susan Cunningham (32.5%).
Not only was it a summertime special election, but the race also was conducted in the midst of the first blast of Covid — limiting in-person contacts between candidates and the electorate.
While Karantonis also was a first-time candidate in 2020, “he did have what I would call a machine behind him,” Cambridge said. “He still does.”
The county GOP has been raising funds in support of its 2025 slate, but it will likely not be on an even playing field with Democrats.
“We’ve got a limited budget,” Cambridge said. “We’re not going to be in the position to do a full-court press.”
As Cambridge and the independents hope to break through with voters, the Karantonis campaign has been laying the groundwork for the general election, as well.
While the odds seem stacked in favor of Arlington Democrats, Karantonis said he would work hard in coming months.
“Everything is competitive,” he said. “You never take anything for granted — nothing, zero.”
Karantonis was speaking June 17 after defeating James DeVita in the Democratic primary.
County election officials on June 17 confirmed Cambridge had filed paperwork to become a candidate. That evening, at Karantonis’s election-watch party, ARLnow informed the incumbent of the rematch.
Arlington County Republican Committee chair Matthew Hurtt had made candidate recruitment a key theme of the past six months.
While the party was not successful in finding contenders for School Board and one of the three House of Delegates seats on the ballot, Hurtt said he was pleased with the candidates the party did have.
“I’m excited,” he said in a video from Richmond after delivering paperwork to state election officials. “Excited about the recruitment efforts … and to those who have stepped forward.”
Arlington’s GOP rank-and-file will have a chance to meet the candidates when the party holds its monthly meeting on Monday, June 30.
November’s County Board race will be conducted under ranked-choice rules, which allow voters to mark in order of preference up to three candidates. If a voter’s first choice is eliminated, the vote will go to the second choice and, potentially, the third.
Given the dominance of Democrats in Arlington governance, it’s possible Karantonis could emerge with more than 50% of the vote on the first ballot, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds under the ranked-choice system.
One Democratic elected official, not on the 2025 ballot, privately told ARLnow he believed Karantonis would reach or exceed 60% on the first ballot.
But it also is possible the incumbent could be held to less than 50%. That would then activate the ranked-choice machinery.
Karantonis told ARLnow he hoped to come away with a clear majority.
“Any candidate’s goal is to get 50% on the first ballot,” he said.
GOP taps House of Delegates candidates: The Arlington County Republican Committee has fielded candidates in two of three House of Delegates seats in the county.
Bill Moher will be the party’s nominee in the 1st House District. He will vie against Democratic incumbent Patrick Hope, who on June 17 won a three-way primary and moves on to the general election.
In the 2nd House District, Wendy Sigley will be the GOP nominee against Democratic incumbent Adele McClure.
The party did not field a candidate in the 3rd House District, occupied by Alfonso Lopez, who is seeking re-election.
All three districts are considered Democratic strongholds.
