As the 2024 presidential election evolves, Arlington Democrats appear to be shifting their out-of-state assistance efforts, at least somewhat.
Earlier this year, local Democrats announced plans to conduct phone banks, write postcards and even visit North Carolina, seen as a battleground state in the presidential race and having a number of high-profile state races on the ballot.
At the time, local Democrats said their “Beyond Arlington” efforts would stay focused on North Carolina unless the national Democratic organization required assistance in Pennsylvania, another key battleground state. (Donald Trump won North Carolina and Joe Biden Pennsylvania in 2020.)
Arlington Democrats are now going both directions. The party’s efforts will be split among the Tar Heel State and the Keystone State.
Both states are critical, local Democrats said in putting out a call for phone-bank volunteers.
“Pennsylvania helps us keep the U.S. Senate by re-electing Bob Casey,” the party said. “We can flip North Carolina blue for Harris while also securing the governorship and a state Supreme Court seat, winning back the U.S. House, and breaking the Republican supermajority in the state legislature.”
Democrats Make Press for Early-Voting Volunteers: Not that the Arlington County Democratic Committee doesn’t mean business every election cycle – but they seem to be ramping up efforts again for 2024.
The party is seeking to have volunteers on hand throughout the early-voting period, not just at the county’s government center.
“We are trying to staff every early voting shift this year,” party officials said in a Sept. 10 missive to the rank-and-file. “Shifts are two hours each and are a great way for new volunteers to help out.”
Personnel will be stationed at the government center in Courthouse and at Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center beginning Sept. 20, then at the satellite sites at Walter Reed and Madison community centers starting Oct. 16.
Early voting runs through Nov. 2, with Election Day being Nov. 5.
Green Party to Consider Support for Candidates, Bond Referendums: Members of the Arlington Green Party will meet soon to consider, and potentially endorse or oppose, some or all of the five county bond referendums on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Following a request from the County Board, Arlington Circuit Court Chief Judge Judith Wheat in August ordered these five bond referendums be placed on the ballot:
• $72.4 million for transportation, including Metro.
• $25.8 million for parks and recreation.
• $76.2 million for community infrastructure.
• $14.2 million for utilities.
• $84 million for schools.
Voter approval of the package is a virtual guarantee. The public has not turned down a single Arlington bond issue in more than 40 years and not turned down multiple bonds in a single year in a half-century.
Over the years, the Green Party has supported some county bond referendums, opposed others and remained neutral on still others.
Green Party leader John Reeder told the GazetteLeader that the Greens, who did not field a candidate for County Board this year, could make an endorsement of one of the four contenders – a Democrat, Republican, Forward Party candidate and independent.
Arlington Democrats Fall Short in Neighborhood Rivalry: Perhaps not since its twice-in-2014 defeat at the hands of independent County Board candidate John Vihstadt has the Arlington County Democratic Committee faced such an unhappy local competitive result.
This time, however, it was on the athletic field, as the Arlington Democrats were bested by the Alexandria City Democratic Committee in a Sept. 7 kickball competition.
Alexandria used home-field advantage (the event was held at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center) to help secure the victory. And for Alexandria Democrats, it appeared the victory might offer an expansion opportunity.
“Next up – annexing Shirlington!” Alexandria City Council member Canek Aguirre said in a teasing social-media post following his side’s victory.
A far-fetched idea? Perhaps. But some Arlington residents of an historical bent know that, a century ago, Alexandria nicked a not-insubstantial portion of southernmost Arlington (then known, confusingly enough, as “Alexandria County”) and incorporated it into its own boundaries. Where it remains to this day.
