Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) has come close to achieving a clean sweep of re-election endorsements from Arlington’s local elected officials.
Among those formally supporting his bid for a seventh two-year term, according to a release from the Beyer campaign:
- County Board members Maureen Coffey, Takis Karantonis, Julius “JD” Spain, Sr. and Susan Cunningham, and Chair Matt de Ferranti
- School Board members Kathleen Clark, Zuraya Tapia-Hadley, Monique “Moe” Bryant and chair Bethany Zecher Sutton
- Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, Clerk of the Circuit Court Paul Ferguson, Sheriff Jose Quiroz, Treasurer Carla de la Pava and Commissioner of Revenue Kim Klingler
The only local elected official not on the list put out by the Beyer campaign is School Board member Miranda Turner.
“I’m deeply grateful for the support and partnership of Arlington’s outstanding local leaders,” Beyer said in a statement. “We’ve worked closely together to support federal workers and their families and invest in affordable housing and infrastructure. I look forward to continuing that partnership.”
In a statement released by the Beyer campaign, de Ferranti said the incumbent “has been an invaluable partner to Arlington County as we navigate the significant challenges and uncertainty brought on by the Trump administration.”
“Time and again, Don has delivered meaningful results for Arlington residents,” de Ferranti said. “His leadership and partnership have made a real difference.”
Beyer is facing several challengers in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary. The 8th District Democratic Committee will certify the ballot list following the May 26 filing deadline.
The winner of the primary moves on to the Nov. 3 general election.
Following Virginia Supreme Court rejection of the April 21 redistricting referendum, the 8th District reverted to its former configuration. It includes all of Arlington and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, as well as portions of eastern Fairfax County.
De Ferranti will be sharing the Aug. 4 primary ballot with Beyer, though in separate races. He is seeking re-election for County Board in a field that also includes James DeVita and Julie Farnam.
Zecher Sutton was the lone Democrat to file for endorsement in the School Board race, and won the party’s support. School board races in Virginia are officially nonpartisan; political parties can endorse candidates but can’t formally nominate them.
Candidate removes signs placed prematurely: Campaign signage supporting a challenger to Beyer went up prematurely owing to apparent miscommunication.
Signage for Michael Duffin began appearing more than a week ago on some medians in Arlington. Under changes to the county’s signage ordinance that County Board members approved earlier this year, that was more than a month earlier than allowed.
Under the previous signage rules, campaigns could begin placing signs in medians 45 days prior to the start of early voting. The new rules restrict placement to 45 days before the date of the election itself.
For the Aug. 4 primary, that would be June 20.
Duffin told ARLnow that he had received “incorrect guidance” from county staff on when signs could be placed. Speaking on a rainy Friday afternoon, he said he would remove the signs once the weather cleared and it was less dangerous to be in medians.
He also took the opportunity to tout his effort running a grass-roots campaign.
“Rep. Beyer has raised about $1.5 million, mostly from corporate PACs, including a Minnesota-based sugar company, Big Pharma, and defense contractors,” Duffin said. “I believe your readers would find a story about Rep. Beyer’s lack of financial integrity much more interesting than a couple campaign signs in the median on Columbia Pike.”
Beyer was first elected to Congress in 2014, succeeding Rep. Jim Moran. Previously, he had served two four-year terms as lieutenant governor.
The 8th District is considered a Democratic stronghold, making the winner of the Aug. 4 primary odds-on favorite in the general election.
In addition to restrictions imposed by the county government, campaign signs are prohibited on right-of-way owned by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT). Despite the prohibition, and threats of $100 civil fines for each violation, political signs frequently crop up in medians of VDOT roads, which include many main thoroughfares in Arlington.
There are no restrictions on campaign signage placed on private property across Virginia.
Fisette to moderate County Board debate: Former County Board member Jay Fisette will return as moderator of the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s 2026 County Board candidate forum.
The event will be held on Wednesday, June 3 at 7 p.m. at Innovation Elementary School, as part of the monthly meeting of the Democratic committee.
Incumbent Matt de Ferranti and challengers James DeVita and Julie Farnam are expected to participate.
Fisette moderated Democrats’ 2025 candidate forum, featuring DeVita and incumbent Takis Karantonis. Karantonis won the primary and the subsequent general election.
Fisette was elected to the County Board in 1997 and served through 2017. It was the second longest tenure in modern county history, ranking behind the 24 years of his immediate predecessor, Ellen Bozman.
Fisette defeated Barbara Favola in the Democratic County Board nominating contest in mid-1997. Both ended up on November’s general election ballot — Fisette competing for the seat of the retiring Bozman and Favola seeking the seat of James Hunter III, who had resigned due to ill health.
Each emerged victorious, but because Favola competed for a vacant seat, she was sworn in immediately, while Fisette did not succeed Bozman until Jan. 1, 1998.
Favola currently serves in the Virginia Senate, having succeeded Mary Margaret Whipple in 2011. She has not yet decided whether to seek re-election next year.
