primary | ARLnow.com

Published May 20, 2019 at 2:30PM

Del. Alfonso Lopez and JD Spain

Progressive Voice is a weekly opinion column. The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of their organizations or ARLnow.com.

To inform voters, Progressive Voice asked each candidate in the upcoming Democratic primary for the State House of Delegates to respond to this question: “If elected, on which progressive initiative will you lead that you believe would be beneficial to the constituents of the 49th District?”

News

Commonwealth’s Attorney Candidates Disagree Over Role PACs Play in Campaigns

By Airey

Published May 16, 2019 at 3:00PM

Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, left, is challenging Commonwealth's Attorney Theo Stamos

The race to see who will be the next Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington and Falls Church has generated its share of fireworks, but the issue of campaign finance may ignite even more.

Incumbent Theo Stamos and challenger Parisa Dehghani-Tafti have already clashed over Tafti’s criticism of Stamos’ handling of cash bail and prosecution for some first-time marijuana-related offenses. Tafti also drew heat from county public-safety groups and her opponent for a campaign mailer they said mislabeled a fatal, officer-involved shooting as “police brutality.”

News

Commonwealth’s Attorney Candidates at Odds Over Police Reform

By Airey

Published May 10, 2019 at 11:30AM | Updated May 13, 2019 at 10:43AM

Commonwealth’s Attorney candidate Parisa Dehghani-Tafti

(Updated on 05/13/19) The debate in the Commonwealth’s Attorney race over police brutality has grown into a larger discussion over police accountability.

“My opponent’s reckless use of language seeks to sow distrust in a community that registers some of the highest levels of confidence in law enforcement,” said Theo Stamos, the incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney for Arlington and Falls Church in statement today (Friday.)

News

Favola Drops Advanced Towing as State Senate Race Continues

By Airey

Published May 6, 2019 at 4:30PM

State Sen. Barbara Favola (left) is being challenged by candidate Nicole Merlene (right)

Candidates running for the Virginia State Senate this year have raised hundreds of thousands along the campaign trail — but not from Arlington’s Advanced Towing.

None of the four candidates running for Richmond accepted money from the controversial towing company, according to the most recent campaign finance filings detailing fundraising between January 1 and March 31 as shared by the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP).

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published May 3, 2019 at 8:00AM

Merlene Accuses Favola of Sexism — “Normally, Democratic debates in deep-blue Arlington are wonky, congenial, staid, even boring affairs, where the candidates at least pretend to be cordial to each other. And tonight’s 31st State Senate district Democratic debate, between incumbent Sen. Barbara Favola and challenger Nicole Merlene, largely held to that model for the entire debate… until the closing statements, when basically all hell broke loose.” [Blue Virginia, PDF]

Metro Closure This Weekend — “[On] May 4 and 5, Metro will be closed south of Reagan National Airport– six stations in all. Trains will be replaced by free shuttle buses at Braddock Road, King St-Old Town, Eisenhower Ave, Huntington, Van Dorn Street and Franconia-Springfield.” [WUSA 9]

News

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published April 30, 2019 at 7:30AM | Updated May 7, 2019 at 10:09AM

Brush Fire in Park Near Columbia Pike — “Firefighters were called to Alcova Park a little after noon today to put out this small fire. No word on cause, but it’s an early season reminder to fully extinguish smoking & BBQ’ing materials before safely discarding them in a metal container & leaving the area.” [Twitter]

‘Walk for the Animals’ Tickets on Sale — “On Saturday, June 8, 2019 from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., AWLA invites you to Walk for the Animals and celebrate our 75th anniversary of improving the lives of animals in our community… $35 Early Bird registration until May 1 (includes Walk registration and t-shirt)” [Animal Welfare League of Arlington]

News

Amid Primary Campaign, Defense Attorneys Sign Letter Opposing Prosecutor

By Airey

Published April 26, 2019 at 1:30PM | Updated May 7, 2019 at 10:09AM

(Updated at 3 p.m.) Dozens of local attorneys have signed a blistering letter criticizing the tactics of prosecutors in Arlington.

The letter — signed by criminal defense and civil rights lawyers — comes as Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos, the county’s top prosecutor, is engaged in a primary election battle.

News

Arlington’s Delegate Candidates Drop Dominion Energy Money

By Airey

Published April 22, 2019 at 3:40PM | Updated April 25, 2019 at 8:53AM

Del. Rip Sullivan

(Updated on 04/25/19) Arlington’s representatives in the Virginia House of Delegates have made good on promises to eschew Dominion Energy money, according to recent campaign finance reports.

Arlington’s six candidates for the House of Delegates shared financial reports indicating their campaigns took in no money from the utility company this year. However, most candidates are still relying on contributions from advocacy and labor groups, political action committees, and businesses, as opposed to running campaigns based only around individual contributions.

News

State Senate Candidate Gets Into Twitter Fight

By Vernon Miles

Published April 22, 2019 at 11:05AM | Updated April 22, 2019 at 12:31PM

(Updated at 11:20 a.m.) Nicole Merlene, a Democrat challenging state Senator Barbara Favola (D), has become embroiled in a war of words with a self-described political meme account on Twitter.

The incident started with Merlene’s introduction at an Arlington Young Democrats forum.

News

Candidates Spar Over Campaign Funds, Criminal Justice Reform During Debate

By Airey

Published April 18, 2019 at 3:30PM | Updated May 7, 2019 at 10:09AM

State Senator Barbara Favola (left) is being challenged by candidate Nicole Merlene (right)

Disagreements over campaign contributions and criminal justice reform during a debate last night revealed fault lines between some of the Democrats running for the party’s nomination.

Six candidates running for Commonwealth’s Attorney, state Senator and Delegate who sparred during the Wednesday night debate agreed on green energy and defeating Republicans. But their disagreements on other topics showed that even in an all-Democratic playing field there are shades of blue.

News

County Board Members Running Unopposed in Democratic Primary

By Airey

Published March 29, 2019 at 3:55PM | Updated May 7, 2019 at 10:10AM

Board Member Katie Cristol is running unopposed in the Democratic primary

Arlington County Board Chair Christian Dorsey and Board member Katie Cristol will face no Democratic challengers during this year’s primary.

No additional Democratic challengers have filed for candidacy by yesterday’s registration deadline, and staff with the county’s Office of Elections confirmed to ARLnow that there are no other pending filings.

News

County Board Chair Dorsey Kicks Off Re-Election Bid, Joining Cristol in Run for Another Term

By Alex Koma

Published March 7, 2019 at 4:30PM

County Board Chair Christian Dorsey is making a run for re-election, joining fellow Board member Katie Cristol in a bid for another four years in office.

Dorsey formally announced his bid at the Arlington County Democratic Committee’s monthly meeting last night (Wednesday), according to the group’s website. The county’s elections office also now lists Dorsey as a candidate for the Board, which has two seats on the ballot this fall.