There have been two minor but noteworthy developments in the Democratic primary battle for Mary Margaret Whipple’s state Senate seat.
Liz Chadderdon, a consultant who had been working with Barbara Favola’s campaign, has left the campaign. Political chatter suggests she may have quit.
Democratic congressman Gerry Connolly endorsed Alexandria City Councilman Rob Krupicka over the weekend.
“Rob is an exceptionally qualified candidate, and will make an excellent addition to our region’s delegation in Richmond,” Connolly said. “Coming from local government myself, I know Rob’s service on the Alexandria City Council will be an incredible asset in the State Senate.”
Arlington Preschool Makes Headlines — Claremont Elementary’s Montessori preschool program is receiving lots of attention for its decision to suspend a three-year-old who has “difficulty making it to the toilet on time.” The Wall Street Journal opines: “Potty training poses a tough challenge for dual working-parents.” [Washington Post]
Virginia Primary Will Be Held in August — Virginia’s primary date has been pushed back to Aug. 23 to allow more time for the state to complete its contentious redistricting process. Normally, primaries are held on the second Tuesday in June. [Washington Post]
Ingrid Morroy may be best known for being Arlington’s chief tax assessor, but on the campaign trail she’s known as the chief singer-songwriter for county Democrats.
Morroy, the county’s Commissioner of Revenue, often performs songs about political causes and candidates at Arlington County Democratic Committee events.
Redistricting occurs every ten years in conjunction following the U.S. Census. It traditionally is a partisan process, with the majority party drawing districts in a way that helps their election chances the most. This year, however, the Republican-controlled House of Delegates will have to work with the Democratic-controlled Senate.
As an added wrinkle, the plans will for the first time face the scrutiny of a Democratic Justice Department. Under the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department has oversight over Virginia’s redistricting process. Since the Voting Rights Act passed in the 1960s, redistricting has always occurred during a Republican presidential administration.
Rousselot says it was worth the trouble to advance his agenda for the state party.
“I set a reform agenda in my DPVA Chair campaign, and I gained many new supporters for reform both in Arlington and around Virginia,” he said.
Murray, who defeated Berry in June’s Republican primary, raised the ire of many local Republicans by sending out a controversial last-minute mailer about Berry. One local conservative blogger called the mailer “foul” and “disgusting,” although Murray maintained that his campaign’s conduct was aboveboard.
Nonetheless, two months after the mailer went out, Berry appears to be trying to bury the hatchet.
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 crowd was light this morning at the Aurora Hills Community Center, one of Arlington County’s 54 polling centers.
About 35 people had voted there by 11:00. The morning is typically the busiest time for voting, polling center staff said.
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.
