Adding to the sanity, the race has also featured a viable third-party candidate who’s a full participant in debates, not a side show.
In Highland Park Thursday night, a quiet, attentive, sign-less audience watched as Democratic incumbent Chris Zimmerman, Republican Mark Kelly and Green party candidate Kevin Chisholm debated a range of issues.
The candidates for public office in Arlington from congress on down all made the rounds at the Kiwanis Oyster Roast and Barbeque Feast on Saturday night.
Notable at the event was the “entourage gap.” Republican congressional candidate Patrick Murray brought a bus, a van, a dozen supporters and a guy dressed in an elephant costume. Incumbent Jim Moran brought, as far as we could tell, his chief of staff and a couple of family members.
Glebe Road Sewer Project Keeping Residents Up At Night — The county has started a new sewer project on South Glebe Road between 5th Street and 1st Road. The project will increase the capacity and reliability of the sewer system in the area. But the work of tearing up the road is being done at night, which has some residents complaining about the noise. More from the Washington Post.
Marine Corps Marathon Goes Off Without a Hitch — With stepped-up security in place, some 30,000 runners safely participated in the 35th Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday. Air Force 2nd Lt. Jacob Bradosky won the 26.2 mile race, which winds through Rosslyn, Crystal City and the District, with a time of 2:23:30. Kenyan Janet Cherobon won the women’s field with a time of 2:42:38. More from the Washington Post.
The event, at Velocity Five in Courthouse, promised free beer for anyone who showed up with a sticker proving that they voted absentee.
“In elections in which federal candidates are on the ballot, no one can offer any kind of benefit or reward for voting,” an election law professor told Politico.
But earlier this week Murray found the time for a 12-minute interview with New Tang Dynasty Television, which is affiliated with Falun Gong, the Chinese religious movement.
During the interview, Murray blasted Moran’s outspoken support of earmarks, calling the ten-term congressman “irresponsible” and “an anachronism from the past.”
Republican county board candidate Mark Kelly has started running an ad on local cable television.
Barbara Reeder, the Jeep’s owner, says she’s very happy with the way the Murray campaign handled the incident in the hours after our story was published.
“Patrick Murray’s office was just delightful to work with,” the New Jersey resident said, in an unsolicited phone call to ARLnow.com. “I thought they were very responsive.”
One Sign That It’s Almost Halloween — Around 5:00 yesterday evening, police were called to the ramp from northbound Washington Boulevard to Route 50 for a report of a severed human foot found in a bag in the middle of the roadway. Officers investigated and, as it turns out, the “foot” was made out of rubber. “A Halloween prank,” one officer concluded.
Pentagon Steps Up Security for Marine Corps Marathon — The Pentagon Force Protection Agency will provide more security than usual for Sunday’s Marine Corps Marathon. That revelation comes in the wake of three middle-of-the-night shootings that targeted Marine Corps and military sites. USA Today reports that the beefed up security will focus on the Pentagon’s north parking lot, which serves as the pre-race staging area for MCM’s 30,000 runners.
The Murray campaign says the driver left a note. Alexandria Police say they’re investigating the accident as a hit and run, but also say that someone on the bus left a note.
The alleged incident happened while the bus was trying to turn from King Street onto Union Street around 7:00 last night, witness Jennifer Watkins said in a phone interview this morning. Watkins said the back of the bus loudly scraped against the side of the Jeep, briefly lifting it in the air.
With cameras rolling, Moran said of Murray, a retired Army officer: “What [Republicans] do is find candidates, usually stealth candidates, that haven’t been in office, haven’t served or performed in any kind of public service. My opponent is typical, frankly.”
The gaffe-prone congressman then dug the hole a bit deeper while referring to Murray’s limited government stance.
Kelly Has $10K Cash Advantage — Republican candidate for county board Mark Kelly may not have raised as much money as incumbent Chris Zimmerman but, true to his campaign platform, he also spent significantly less. Kelly had $28,480 cash on hand on Sept. 30, more than $10,000 more than Zimmerman. More from the Sun Gazette.
County Board Questions NOVA Budget Request — Northern Virginia Community College is asking localities to help cover its $14 million capital budget gap, but at a meeting last night the county board seemed less than enthusiastic about doing so in a year when more budget cuts and tax hikes are likely on the way. Currently, Arlington pays $1 per resident to NOVA’s capital budget fund. NOVA is asking for an additional 50 cents per person. More from TBD.
The figures were revealed in a financial disclosure filed with the Federal Election Commission this morning. Today is the deadline for quarterly financial filings from congressional candidates.
Murray has held fundraisers with a number of boldfaced GOP names recently. He has also been designated as “On the Radar” by the National Republican Congressional Committee.
