It likely won’t be needed, but the Arlington County Democratic Committee has finalized plans for a caucus to select the party’s nominee for county treasurer.
Democrats have set Friday as the filing date for caucus contenders. Prospective candidates will have a three-hour window — from 4-7 p.m. — on that date to bring their paperwork to the committee’s headquarters in Shirlington.
Arlington’s new treasurer expects the county’s numbers on tax delinquency to remain on par with last year’s.
Given the region’s challenging current economic realities, “it will be a great accomplishment to keep it where it was,” Treasurer Kim Rucker told members of Arlington Senior Democrats at a July 14 luncheon.
A recent straw poll from the Arlington County Democratic Committee offered an early glimpse into the local party’s leanings in the 2028 presidential race, along with local races.
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) received 33 votes at the event, held July 11 at Bon Air Park. Former U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg came out in second with 26 votes.
The Arlington County Democratic Committee is planning to conduct straw polls as part of its Saturday, July 11 summer picnic.
One of them will be for the 2028 presidential race. Although party chair Paul Ruiz acknowledged it was “way too early” to be focusing that, he said adding the straw poll will be a worthwhile addition to the summer gathering.
Rep. Don Beyer (D-8) took fire from his own party’s challengers at a candidate forum this week — an event combustible enough that one rival is now boycotting the next Arlington Democratic gathering over heckling.
“He hasn’t pushed back,” said Mo Seifeldein, a former Alexandria City Council member and one of four seeking to unseat Beyer in the Aug. 4 Democratic primary.
When it comes to support of the arts in Arlington, one candidate is thinking big. To his competitors in next month’s Democratic primary, however, it is too big.
Democratic County Board contender James DeVita has been touting support for a major arts center during recent candidate forums and on campaign signage.
Arlington Republicans have voted to oppose three state constitutional amendments in November, focusing most efforts on fighting a measure to codify abortion access.
After some debate and a voice vote on Monday night, the county GOP opted to oppose three ballot measures that would provide formal constitutional support for reproductive rights, same-sex marriage and voting rights for felons.
David Sisson has become the second independent to qualify for the County Board election in November.
Sisson — a member of the county’s Transit Advisory Committee and executive vice chair at the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (NVAHA) — joins perennial protest candidate Audrey Clement in having filed paperwork and the requisite 125 petition signatures.
Democrats challenging incumbent Matt de Ferranti are criticizing the County Board for what they see as putting government spending ahead of tax relief.
Echoing a theme long trumpeted by Republican and independent political challengers to the county’s all-Democratic Board, candidates James DeVita and Julie Farnam each used the June 3 Arlington County Democratic Committee candidate forum to accuse the Board of excessive spending.
All three Democratic candidates for County Board say they support at least some district-based representation on the governing body.
While the five seats on the Board are all currently at-large, some advocates have called for creating voting districts as part of potential future governance changes. Current County Board Chair Matt de Ferranti and challengers James DeVita and Julie Farnam endorse the concept, at least to some extent.
The clock continues ticking as Arlington Republicans work to find contenders for County Board and School Board races.
Chris Wright, who heads candidate recruitment for the local GOP, said that so far, efforts have not paid off.
Republicans have their candidate in place for the 8th District U.S. House of Representatives race.
Tony Sabio, a national-security professional and self-described Reagan conservative, was the lone Republican to file for the party’s nomination by the May 26 at 5 p.m. deadline.
