Anti-Trump protesters mobilized in force across Arlington today (Saturday) as part of nationwide “No Kings Day” demonstrations ahead of the military parade in D.C.
Waving signs, banners and American flags, they cheered from overpasses and chanted outside the Clarendon Metro station. An estimated 5,000 people lined long stretches of Langston Blvd from Rosslyn to Falls Church, in an attempt to form an enormous, 5.2-mile “human chain.”
A large contingent of FBI personnel and unmarked vehicles have blocked off a street in an otherwise quiet north Arlington neighborhood.
An armed standoff involving someone inside a house on the 3600 block of N. Abingdon Street, in the Old Glebe neighborhood, started early Wednesday morning.
Several people have been injured, one seriously, after horses escaped on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall this afternoon, according to initial reports.
Arlington County police were initially dispatched around 2 p.m. to check along Route 50 near Courthouse for possible sightings of the escaped horses. Shortly thereafter, police were called off but firefighters and medics were dispatched to the base for reports of injuries.
Arlington and much of the D.C. area is now under a Winter Storm Warning.
The warning was issued just before 4 p.m. Saturday and will take effect starting 10 p.m. Sunday. The National Weather Service is predicting 5 inches to up to a foot of snow accumulation between Sunday night and early Tuesday morning.
Arlington and Falls Church residents went to the polls today to vote for president, local offices and everything in between.
As of 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, the results show — unsurprisingly — strong support for Democratic candidates across the ballot.
Arlington County Board
In the big local Arlington race for County Board, JD Spain, Sr. will win the seat being vacated by three-term Democrat Libby Garvey.
With early votes now in and breaking 60% for the Democratic nominee, Spain has 58% of the vote to 16% for Republican Juan Carlos Fierro and 12% for independent Audrey Clement. Madison Granger, who is associated with the Forward Party, has 13% of the vote.
In 2020, Garvey defeated a lone challenger — Clement — with 71% of the vote.
Voting in the Arlington County Board general election is being conducted this year, for the first time, via ranked choice voting. But if a candidate gets over 50% of the “first choice” votes — as Spain appears poised to do with only mail-in ballots outstanding — they will be declared the winner and ranked choice tabulation will not be used.
Arlington School Board
In the Arlington School Board race, Democratic-endorsed candidates Kathleen Clark and Zuraya Tapia-Hadley will cruise to victory.
Clark and Tapia-Hadley have 35.6% and 32.8% of the vote, respectively, so far. James Vell Rives, endorsed by the Forward Party, has 14.2% of the vote while independent Paul Weiss has 16.0%.
Arlington Bond Referenda
All five proposed local bonds, including school and Metro bonds, will pass — currently leading by 3-to-1 or 4-to-1.
Falls Church City Council
In the special election for Falls Church City Council Laura Downs has won with 58% of the vote to 41% for John Murphy, and all precincts reporting.
U.S. President
The Democratic Harris/Walz presidential ticket has a substantial lead over the Trump/Vance GOP ticket: 76.2% to 20.7% in Arlington — with all precincts reporting but mail-in ballots outstanding — and 79.5% to 17.9% in Falls Church.
By comparison, Trump received 17.1% of the vote in Arlington in 2020.
Third party candidates — including Jill Stein (G), Chase Oliver (L) and Cornel West (I) — have roughly 2% of the Arlington vote, while 1% of voters wrote someone in for president.
Statewide, Harris currently has 50.4% to 47.4% for Trump. Local political consultant Ben Tribbett, who often projects election night results in Virginia, says he believes Harris has won the Commonwealth.
8:45 PM PROJECTION: KAMALA HARRIS (D) HAS WON VIRGINIA AND 13 ELECTORAL VOTES.
— Ben Tribbett (@notlarrysabato) November 6, 2024
U.S. Senate
Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine currently leads statewide with 53.1% of the vote to 46.7% for Republican challenger Hung Cao.
The Associated Press called the race for Kaine around 11:20 p.m.
Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine won reelection in Virginia for his third term Tuesday, beating Republican challenger Hung Cao. Kaine was widely expected to keep his role as the Commonwealth’s junior senator. Political scientists said there was only a narrow path to victory for Cao given Virginia’s moderate electorate, aversion to Trump in 2020 and Kaine’s salience with voters. Cao is a 25-year Navy veteran who had former President Donald Trump’s endorsement. But the most recent Republican to hold a Senate seat from Virginia was the late John Warner, a centrist who last won in 2002. The Associated Press declared Kaine the winner at 11:22 p.m.
U.S. Representative
Across Virginia’s 8th Congressional District — which includes Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County — incumbent Rep. Don Beyer (D) has 70.9% of the vote to 25.6% for Republican challenger Jerry Torres and just over 3% collectively for independents David Kennedy and Bentley Hensel.
The Associated Press called the race for Beyer shortly before 8:15 p.m.
Democratic Rep. Don Beyer won reelection to a U.S. House seat representing Virginia on Tuesday. Beyer won his sixth term after defeating Republican Jerry Torres and two independent candidates. Beyer, a former lieutenant governor and ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, won each of his five previous congressional elections with at least 63% of the vote. The 8th District includes the inner suburbs of the nation’s capital, including Arlington County and Alexandria, and is one of Virginia’s most reliably Democratic districts. The Associated Press declared Beyer the winner at 8:13 p.m.
Turnout
Overall turnout in Arlington was above 70% as of 5 p.m., according to the county elections office. The final turnout may reach around 80%, but is not expected to set a local record.
Despite significant interest in the presidential race, voting in Arlington mostly went smoothly today, with most reports suggesting minimal wait times. Among the issues reported today are some confusion about ranked choice voting and an evening fire alarm at the Crystal Plaza polling location.
Scott McCaffrey contributed to this report
Metro train traffic was halted near Ballston after an armed man reportedly fled into the tunnels.
Police were dispatched to the 7-Eleven store across Fairfax Drive from the Ballston Metro station around 2:50 p.m. for an armed robbery. Initial reports suggest that a man robbed the store of wine, and pulled out a gun when confronted.
Arlingtonians with an eye to the sky were treated to the northern lights tonight (Thursday).
Reports of visible aurora borealis in the D.C. area started coming in around 7:30 p.m. While visible to the naked eye, the auroras could be more clearly seen on long exposure photos.
A man was shot and critically injured in Ballston this morning.
Police were dispatched around 6:15 a.m. Sunday for a report of shots fired in front of the Westin hotel. They found a man in his 20s shot in the lower body and several witnesses to the shooting, who said the suspects drove off in the direction of I-66, according to scanner traffic.
A robbery at the Pentagon City mall Sunday afternoon caused a panic that sent shoppers fleeing and prompted a massive police response.
The incident started around 3:30 p.m. after Arlington County police received multiple reports of shots fired and smoke seen inside the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City. Arriving officers found people running from the mall and broken glass in front of the Tourneau watch and jewelry store.
Arlington police, firefighters and the county’s bomb squad conducted a major investigation in the Westover neighborhood today.
Law enforcement personnel, some in heavy protective gear, could be seen hauling items out of the Fisher House Apartments at 5705 Washington Blvd. Shortly before 3:45 p.m., an arrest was announced in connection to the case.
A large fire department response responded to an underground utility fire in Crystal City this afternoon.
The fire, on the 2400 block of Crystal Drive amid office and apartment buildings, followed reports of an “explosion” heard and felt in the area shortly after 1 p.m. Tuesday.
The Pentagon City mall was evacuated Saturday evening due to a suspicious vehicle in an adjacent parking garage.
Arlington County police and the bomb squad investigated over the course of several hours. Photos and video from the scene showed a large emergency response and authorities operating an unmanned vehicle to inspect the car.
