Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli traveled to Alexandria last night to attend a small private fundraiser for fellow Republican Patrick Murray, who’s trying to unseat long-time incumbent Rep. Jim Moran.
Cuccinelli declined to discuss his controversial lawsuit against the federal government over the Obama health care reform law, but he had plenty to say about Murray’s opponent and the Democrats’ record on the economy.
Arlington Joins Region-Wide HOV Enforcement Effort Today — Today Arlington police will be joining Virginia State Police and other local law enforcement agencies in an effort to crack down on HOV violators. During the morning and evening rush hours, police will step up HOV patrols on I-66, I-395 and other local highways. More from WaPo’s Dr. Gridlock.
Injured Vets Stop at Iwo Jima Memorial on Cross-County Bike Ride — A group of 18 bicyclists, many of them wounded veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stopped in Arlington last night on their way from San Francisco to Virginia Beach. The vets stopped at the Marine Corps Memorial to see the retiring of the colors ceremony. More from the Associated Press.
Speaking at a recent Arlington County Republican Committee meeting, Berry — whose narrow loss to retired Army colonel Patrick Murray surprised some local political watchers — said it’s “very important” for the party to unite with the goal of retaking control of congress. But while he said that Murray “deserves our respect,” Berry stopped short of endorsing Murray or pledging to help his campaign.
Murray, who will face incumbent Rep. Jim Moran in November, seems eager to put the controversy behind him. (For the record, he says he “would very respectfully but strongly disagree” that his campaign’s controversial mailer tried to exploit the fact that Berry is gay.)
Supporters of Matthew Berry have taken to the comment section of the local Republican politics website RedNoVA to vent their frustration.
Said one: “People I’ve spoken to in the last three days are shocked and disgusted by Murrays tactics… There is no better chance that I will [support] Murray than there is of Murray defeating Moran. Period.”
Despite a lopsided fundraising disadvantage, retired Army colonel Patrick Murray managed to narrowly defeat his organized and well-connected opponent, government attorney Matthew Berry, in a contest to see who will face ten-term Democratic congressman Jim Moran in the fall.
Berry called Murray to concede the race just before 9:00 last night. Murray won with 7,133 votes, or 51.75 percent of the vote, to Berry’s 6651 vote, or 48.25 percent.
The former government lawyer has a more than 2-to-1 fundraising advantage over his opponent, retired Army colonel Patrick Murray, and Berry says his campaign’s internal numbers “look very good.”
Voters “seem to be responding well to our positive message,” Berry said. He has spent much of the past 48 hours knocking on doors, calling likely voters and attending events.
Republicans Voters to Choose Congressional Nominee Today — Voters in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District are heading to the polls to choose which GOP nominee will face incumbent Rep. Jim Moran (D) in the fall. The Associated Press wins the award for the most concise, cynical take on the race:
In the 8th District, little-known candidates Matthew Berry of Arlington and Alexandria’s Patrick Murray, vie for the right to challenge 10-term Democratic Rep. Jim Moran in the heavily Democratic inner suburbs of Washington, D.C.
“I think [voters] like the fact that I’m not a politician,” Murray said on Friday, during an interview on board his newly-rented campaign bus. “People talk to me and they say, ‘you don’t talk like a politician,’ and I take that as a compliment because I’m not.”
Murray says his ‘Time to Lead’ bus tour, on which he embarked Thursday and will continue through Tuesday’s GOP primary, is part of an “insurgent ground campaign.” He’s visiting Metro stops, grocery stores, farmer’s markets and other high-traffic spots in an effort to get out the vote.
Last Chain Bridge Closure — Starting around 9:00 tonight Chain Bridge will once again close completely to traffic and pedestrians. Crews will be working to repave the bridge deck, the Washington Post reports. The bridge is expected to reopen on Monday morning. This should be the last full closure of the bridge, which has been undergoing a year-long rehabilitation process.
Berry Officially Joins Young Guns List — GOP congressional candidate Matthew Berry has been officially listed as “On the Radar” on the National Republican Congressional Campaign’s “Young Guns” website. The list recognizes congressional contenders who have achieved certain fundraising goals.
Murray said his biggest issue is “the fact that we have misplaced our Constitutional values.”
“I believe we’re ignoring the Constitution,” Murray said. “I am a big believer in the 10th Amendment… I think our footprint for the federal government has gotten way too big.”
Iota Jam Session Reviewed — On Thursday night, The Infamous Stringdusters rocked Iota Club and Café in Clarendon. It may be the first time a band that includes a mandolinist, a dobro player, a fiddler and a banjo player started a performance with a “six-way fist bump.” More from jambands.com.
Endorsements for Berry, Murray — Conservative Virginia politics website Bearing Drift has endorsed Matthew Berry as the only GOP candidate who “has the capacity and wherewithal to give Jim Moran a run for his money.” Meanwhile, former Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi has endorsed former Army colonel Patrick Murray, Berry’s opponent in next month’s eighth district primary.
Following a short debate between GOP candidates Matthew Berry and Patrick Murray, and Green Party candidate Ron Fisher, Moran took the stage for a brief solo question and answer session with debate moderator and ABC7 reporter Scott Thuman.
“I give these three guys credit,” Moran said wryly in his opening remarks. Having spent ten years as a city councilman and mayor in Alexandria before running for national office, Moran said he “would have never had the gall” to run for congress without local government experience, as his opponents are doing.
