Murray is facing off against incumbent Rep. Jim Moran (D) in the Nov. 6 general election. The race will be a rematch of the 2010 race, in which Moran defeated Murray by a 24 point margin.
This time around, the Murray camp says they hold a convincing advantage among independent voters. In an email to supporters this week, the campaign said Murray holds an “astonishing” 26 point margin advantage against Moran among independent voters in Virginia’s Eighth District.
Here is the unedited response from Bruce Shuttleworth:
To any of the ARLnow community who I may have “robocalled” during your dinner hour — sorry!
Here is the unedited response from incumbent Rep. Jim Moran:
I’ve dedicated my adult life to fighting for Northern Virginia; to strengthen our economy, promote social progress and safeguard our environment for future generations. Northern Virginia’s economy has been highly resilient through one of the worst downturns in U.S. history. Our proximity to the federal government, capitalizing on a creative class of technology entrepreneurs, government contractors and a diversity of small businesses has provided steady growth. We are now being challenged by conservative attempts to hollow out the federal government, regardless of the serious, negative, economic and societal impact it would have. I am using my role on the Appropriations Committee to fight to overcome these challenges and ensure that the 8th District remains the best place to work and live in the country.
Yorktown student Ryan Carroll was announced the winner of Rep. Jim Moran’s Eighth District Congressional Art Competition during a ceremony at Artisphere in Rosslyn last night. The annual nationwide Congressional Art Competition was started in 1982 to “provide an opportunity for members of Congress to encourage and recognize the artistic talents of their young constituents.”
Carroll will soon have his work, entitled “Lady of Rain,” displayed inside the Capitol building for the next year, along with the winners from other states across the country. The second place winner, Washington-Lee High School student Erin Daniell, will receive $100 to go toward art supplies.
The Republican congressman is running for governor in his home state of Indiana. According to The Journal Gazette — a publication in Fort Wayne, Ind. — accusations are flying due to Pence’s house in the Williamsburg neigborhood.
His Democratic opponent, John Gregg, claims Pence spends too much time in the D.C. area and not enough time in Indiana. Gregg acknowledges that Pence is a legal resident of Indiana, but believes his time living in Arlington may have caused him to become out of touch with Indiana residents.
At a press conference this morning, Moran was joined by officials from Arlington Public Schools, along with several Arlington parents of autistic children. The bill — the “AUTISM Educators Act” — could specifically benefit Arlington schools, where more than 10 percent of the special education population has been diagnosed with ASD, according to Moran’s office.
From a press release:
“The time to accelerate our withdrawal from Afghanistan has arrived,” said Moran, a senior member of the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. “Afghanistan is not a threat to the United States — Osama bin Laden is dead and there are fewer than 50 al Qaeda operating along the border with Pakistan.”
Moran then referenced a week-long trip he took to the Afghanistan/Pakistan region last month.
The restaurant had the rare privilege of catering a congressional event last week, thanks to a devoted fan: Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas). Barton has a home in Arlington Heights, not too far from Pedro and Vinny’s, and has become a regular customer since it opened last summer.
When it recently came time for Barton to arrange the catering at a weekly lunch for Republican members of congress from Texas, he asked his staffers to approach the restaurant to see if they’d be up for the task. It would be tough to appease the discerning palates of the Texas lawmakers — whose lunch is usually catered by a rotation of larger, more established restaurants like Hill Country Barbecue and Tortilla Coast — but owner Roger Coroneo said he was up for the challenge.
The transportation bill would eliminate the dedicated funding stream for federal transit programs and grants — 2.86 cents of the 18.4 cent federal gas tax — replacing it instead with one-time funding.
The federal government contributed about $150 million in dedicated funding to Metro’s budget in the current fiscal year, and more than 50 percent of its current capital improvement budget. Should federal funding be cut, which would be more likely without a dedicated source of revenue, Hynes warns that Metro and Arlington County could suffer greatly.
Fmr. CIA Officer Charged — Former CIA officer and current Arlington resident John Kiriakou, 47, was charged yesterday with repeatedly leaking classified information to journalists. Kiriakou is best known for his 2007 interview with ABC News in which he described the waterboarding of Abu Zubaydah, a suspected al-Qaeda operative. [Washington Post]
Cigarette Tax Bill Dies in General Assembly — A bill proposed by Del. Patrick Hope (D) that would have raised Virginia’s cigarette tax from 30 cents to the national average of $1.45 has died a quick and unsurprising death in a House of Delegates subcommittee. [Sun Gazette]
Murray has announced that he will again seek the Republican nomination in the upcoming Virginia 8th District House of Representatives race. After losing to Moran by a final vote of 61 percent to 37 percent in 2010, Murray is pulling no punches in his criticism of the ten-term Democratic congressman.
Murray sent the following email to supporters last night.
Schultz will join Democratic Party of Virginia Chairman Brian Moran, as well as local Reps. Jim Moran and Gerry Connolly, at Clarendon Ballroom (3185 Wilson Blvd) from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 5. Tickets to the event are $50 for individuals. That price is discounted to $35 for Young Democrats. “Sponsorship level” tickets, however, range from $1,000 to $10,000.
The event will benefit the Democratic Party of Virginia.
