By Susan Laume: As the Fairfax County Commonwealth Attorney’s office handles thousands of civil and criminal cases every year, and touches many thousands of lives in northern Virginia, the social policies of the elected official running the office demand the attention of voters. This is why the Fairfax County NAACP sponsored a debate on March 16 between the two Democratic…
By Melanie Meren: For the kids, families, and our furry friends we bring to outdoor spaces, it’s critical to remember that it’s the hard work of county officials that preserves our environment and connects us with nature. I want to take that success into all Fairfax County classrooms. Connecting students with their natural surroundings can inspire them to be the…
By Susan Laume: Two candidates vying for Democratic Party endorsement for Springfield District school board member faced off on Thurs. Feb. 28 for an hour-long debate before an audience of about 70. Laura Jane Cohen and Robert Walter, both education professionals with children in Fairfax County public schools, largely agreed on most topics, but differed on their choice of the…
Ed Note: We invite all Democrats running for office in northern Virginia to submit an individual statement, maximum 500 words. This one comes from Parker Messick, a candidate for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Hunter Mill District. The primary election for this race will take place on June 11th. By Parker Messick. The Hunter Mill district is a dynamic community…
Muslims are believed to be under-represented among Fairfax County voters, but outreach efforts by Democratic Party candidates for local office aim to change that equation. The latest such effort took place Saturday, Feb. 16, at Dar al Hijrah Mosque in Mason District, where three school board candidates met with Muslim community members to describe the workings of the Fairfax County…
Virginia Democrat Ibraheem Samirah won the Virginia 86th District special election Tuesday with 59 percent of the vote, defeating Republican candidate Gregg Nelson and independent challenger Connie Haines Hutchinson. Samirah will replace Democrat Jennifer Boysko in the Virginia House of Delegates. Boysko was elected to the Virginia Senate, replacing Democrat Jennifer Wexton, who was elected to Congress in November. When…
By William Berkson. Ronald Reagan’s small-government crusade led directly to our current era of slow growth and massive income inequality. But his vision still dominates the political landscape. Why? History shows that sustained, equitable growth only happens during periods of strong government investment in both the commercial and social welfare spheres—what I call the “Investment State”. Its opposite is the…
By Brad Swanson: You should not look too closely into the making of laws or sausages, runs the saying attributed (incorrectly) to Germany’s “Iron Chancellor”, Otto von Bismarck. But what would he have thought about the convoluted process of making Democratic Party candidates for Fairfax County elected offices? Overall, there will be more than 50 offices on Fairfax County ballots…
By Karen Keys-Gamarra The author is an at-large member of the Fairfax County School Board and is running for re-election in November. Actions speak louder than words. That’s true in Fairfax County, where we boast diversity that is reflected in our schools, businesses and communities. This county has the 10th largest public school system in the nation and its students experience…
Dr. Ibraheem Samirah, a Herndon-based dentist, won the Democratic Party caucus on Jan 12 for state House District 86 with 36% of the 2,047 votes cast. Coming in second was Kofi Annan, head of the Fairfax County NAACP, with 30%, followed by Michael O’Reilly and Chad Thompson. Complete election results, provided by the Samirah campaign, are here: Samirah said, “I…
Dr. Ibraheem Samirah, a dentist and Herndon resident, has won the Democratic party caucus to represent the party in the special election on Tuesday Feb 19 to fill a seat, state House District 86, left vacant when Jennifer Boysko was elected to the state senate to replace Jennifer Wexton who was elected to Congress last November. Samirah grew up in…
Democratic voters in Virginia House District 86 will vote Saturday, Jan. 12, for a candidate to represent the party in a special election to fill the seat vacated by Jennifer Boysko, who recently was elevated to the state senate to replace Jennifer Wexton, who won a seat in Congress last November. Four candidates are competing in the caucus to gain…
By Brandon Thurner: “What are Abby’s views on energy, specifically nuclear power?” “We commute to work – what can Abby do to fix the traffic back-ups on I-95?” The young couple had recently relocated to central Virginia from deep-red Alabama and typically voted Republican. But they were curious when a real life Democrat knocked on their door. And so they…
By Karen Kirk: It was time for FCDC members to party on Saturday, to celebrate the holidays and the great victories of 2018, but it was clear that a new election was on the horizon. Chair Dan Lagana reminded everyone that after the holidays, “it’s time to get to work.” Next year will be a very important election year, said…