The heated topic of money in politics in Virginia drew a star-studded list of speakers and a large, boisterous audience to a forum on Nov. 28th at the Mason District Government Center. State legislators, candidates and activists took turns detailing the corrosive effects of corporate money on politics throughout the Commonwealth, calling out Dominion Energy, the NRA, the Koch industrial…
Nearly 100 voters who could not make their own way to the polls had their voices heard in the recent midterm elections thanks to volunteer drivers organized by Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC). The Ride to the Polls program gave a lift to 96 voters who were elderly, handicapped, infirm, newly American or had language barriers. “Most touching to me…
By Todd Thurwachter: During October, FCDC’s Voter Registration and Education Committee (VR&EC) mounted a blitz to reach thousands of voters before the Oct. 15 registration deadline, registering at least 16 voters at local festivals and engaging thousands with voting materials, including VOTING: What you Need to Know cards in English and Spanish. VR&EC also encouraged voters to manage their own registrations online and vote early…
By Todd Thurwachter: Ahead of the Nov. 6 election, Democrats have made a sustained effort to register and educate Latino voters in Fairfax County – who now constitute 16% of the population, and are heading higher. The campaign has contacted tens of thousands in Fairfax and neighboring counties, led by the Voter Registration & Education Committee of Fairfax County Democratic…
Reported by Janelle Hartman and Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: Postcards may be old technology, but they are being revived as an effective tool in the arsenal of Fairfax County Democrats to get a robust turnout at elections on November 6th. Numerous postcard parties have been held in Fairfax County throughout the campaign season to target registered voters with personal appeals from…
Sen. Tim Kaine, running for re-election in the Nov. 6 election, recently stopped by to help Democratic Party volunteers “chase” absentee voters by mail. For readers not familiar with the term: An application for an absentee ballot is a public record, including name and address. Political parties obtain these records then contact or “chase” potential absentee voters to encourage them…
You’re never too young to canvass, especially in an election as important as the one on November 6th. Aaron, aged 6, canvassed in Providence District with his mom and 3-year-old sister Hannah recently, and made it the highlight of his “Weekend News” homework assignment for his first-grade class. His text reads: “Over the weekend I went canvassing. Canvassing is reminding people…
By Karen Kirk: Cybersecurity, restoring respect for national security professionals and electing Virginia Sen. Jennifer Wexton to Congress were priorities discussed at a National Security Roundtable moderated by Wexton on Friday in Chantilly, Va. Sen. Mark Warner, one of six panel members, noted that CD-10 likely has the highest concentration of intelligence professionals in of any district in country and…
By Lainie Singerman: Two very different styles were on display when Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine (D) faced off against Corey Stewart, the Republican vying for his Senate seat, at a candidate panel at Congregation Olam Tikvah in the Mantua area of Fairfax on Sunday, October 14. Sen. Kaine was firm in his views but showed a positive manner and was…
By Brad Swanson: Organized labor and allies rallied Saturday morning against Trump Administration plans to deport an estimated 20,000 protected status immigrants from northern Virginia. “This is a cruel and vicious attack on families,” said Virginia Diamond, president of the Northern Virginia AFL-CIO. Many of these immigrants have been in the USA for a generation and have sunk deep roots…
By Linda Sperling: (Ed. Note: The author is a Democratic candidate for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, Springfield District) The Equal Rights Amendment could finally become law in 2019, if the Virginia legislature ratifies it. The amendment needs approval from 38 states to become effective, and 37 have done so already. As most people know, the ERA would ensure that…
By Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: Volunteers packed the Sterling campaign of office of State Senator Jennifer Wexton (Loudoun-Fairfax), candidate for Virginia’s Congressional District 10, kicking off a day of canvassing Saturday for them and an even longer day of campaigning for Wexton and her staff. A crowd of over 140 people filled the office to capacity early Saturday morning and more…
By Karen Kirk: Virginia freshman Delegates Elizabeth R. Guzman, David A. Reid and Kathy Tran talked about what motivated them to run for office, what surprised them when they arrived in Richmond and their outlook for 2019 at the Blue Wave Forum held on Sept. 25 at James Madison High School in Vienna. State Sen. Scott Surovell, who asked the…
By Stephanie Witt Sedgwick: State Sen. Jennifer Wexton (D-33) faced off against Rep. Barbara Comstock (R- 10) on Sept. 21 for the Congressional candidates’ only debate so far in the campaign. In a discussion restricted to business issues, Wexton attacked the GOP-led tax act for benefiting the top 1% and decried the erosion of bipartisanship under the leadership of a…