A congressional candidate with the backing of the Libertarian Party of Northern Virginia is challenging U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) on the November ballot.
Shelly Arnoldi understands the uphill battle for anyone taking on Beyer in a district that, in recent years, has been a Democratic political fortress. However, she says her effort to unseat him will bring important issues into the local political discussion.
“Too many people stay home because they feel ignored, and too many others simply have not been given a real alternative or the information they need to question the status quo,” Arnoldi told ARLnow.
“I absolutely acknowledge the political reality — Congressman Beyer has held this seat for years, and the 8th District is considered heavily Democratic,” she said. “But I do not accept the idea that any seat should be treated as permanently unwinnable or that voters should be written off before they are even reached.”
Arnoldi is one of three challengers to Beyer on the Nov. 3 ballot, joining Republican Tony Sabio and independent Tim Sharman.
A resident of the Fairfax County portion of the district, Arnoldi last year challenged Del. Paul Krizek (D-16). She received 2.8% of the vote, finishing third in the three-way race.
Arnoldi said she became politically active after 2020.
“School closures, mask mandates and the erosion of parental rights made it clear to me that too many decisions were being made without meaningful input from families,” she said, adding:
“As a mother, a Navy veteran and a federal engineer, I have seen how government can drift away from the people it is supposed to serve. My own experience with government waste, inefficiency and retaliation after raising concerns about financial misconduct strengthened my belief that leaders must be held accountable.”
“Families deserve transparency, citizens deserve a government that works for them rather than for itself, and public officials should be challenged when they overreach.”
As with Sharman, Arnoldi said she feels there is a way to undercut support for Beyer, who on Aug. 4 emerged with about two-thirds of the vote in a five-candidate Democratic primary.
“As a Libertarian, I believe there is an opportunity to build a coalition that does not fit neatly into the usual partisan boxes. Parents frustrated with school closures, mandates, curriculum decisions … deserve a voice. Veterans and federal workers who are tired of waste and bureaucracy deserve a voice. Medical-freedom voters, limited-government voters, fiscal conservatives, pro-peace and anti-war voters, and people disillusioned with both major parties deserve a voice.”
She added:
“I can speak to voters on the left who care about civil liberties, constitutional rights, and government overreach, and I can speak to voters on the right who care about spending, borders, parental rights and accountability.”
“The principles guiding this campaign are individual freedom, limited government, the rule of law, fiscal responsibility, free markets, human dignity and a foreign policy rooted in being pro-peace and anti-war. I believe in peace through strength, but I also believe American leaders must be far more serious about avoiding unnecessary conflict and protecting the lives, liberties and resources of our citizens. Those are not slogans to me; they are the foundation for restoring trust, restoring rights protected by the U.S. Constitution, and making government answer to citizens again.”
Arnoldi said she hears from voters on issues related to parental rights, government waste, a lack of government accountability, immigration, border security and vaccine mandates, as well as the cost of living.
“I also hear from voters who care about protecting unborn life, term limits, and cutting unnecessary administrative layers that consume taxpayer dollars without serving citizens well,” she said.
“There is a lot more quiet frustration than many people realize,” she said. “My role is not just to identify issues; it is to wake people up, connect them with one another, and remind them that they still have a voice.”
The 8th District includes all of Arlington and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, plus eastern portions of Fairfax County. Beyer was first elected in 2014.
Candidates for the 8th District will participate in the Arlington County Civic Federation’s annual campaign forum, to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at VHC Health’s John T. Hazel Conference Center.
Early voting begins on Sept. 18.
