By Chap Petersen: One of the things I’ve learned from twenty plus years in elected office is that ordinary voters are smarter than politicians. This reality was never better illustrated than in the 2019 General Assembly session, when the Commonwealth…
Category: Elections
What it means to be an immigrant on the Fairfax County School Board
By Ilryong Moon: Fairfax County prides itself on its diversity. Our students come from all over the world and speak more than 200 languages. About a third of our county residents were born outside the U.S. In fact, Fairfax County…
Alicia Plerhoples wants to close the gap between the two Fairfax Counties
By Alicia Plerhoples: I often tell my daughters that they are not growing up like I grew up. As a child, I experienced housing instability and food insecurity, just as many hardworking Fairfax County families do today. I was 9…
Beto barnstorms Virginia, including stops in Fairfax County
Beto O’Rourke barnstormed through northern Virginia yesterday in a minivan, making several stops to address enthusiastic crowds. Our correspondent caught up with him in the backyard of Fairfax County School Board Member Tammy Kaufax (Lee District), where he presented his…
Karl Frisch wants to put equity into action as Providence’s school board member
By Karl Frisch: My partner, Evan, and I have 150 kids in Fairfax County Public Schools–he’s a teacher. When you love a teacher, you share your life together with their students. The challenges they face are your challenges, too. I…
Karen Keys-Gamarra: Why I’m running again to be at-large school board member
By Karen Keys-Gamarra: It’s that time again in Fairfax County when every local elected official will be on the ballot. This ballot that covers elections from supervisors to the Soil and Water Conservation District board is expansive and contains more…
NAACP and GOP both protest Northam planned visit to Northern Va.
Gov. Ralph Northam (D) cancelled a campaign stop in Burke on Sunday in the face of protests organized by groups that normally have little in common — the Fairfax County NAACP and the Fairfax County Republican Committee. After the cancellation,…
A trio of stars puts sparkle in Hunter Mill’s lasagna – and enthusiasm for a win in November
By Brad Swanson: A trio of rising Democratic stars in the state legislature fired up the audience at the Hunter Mill District Democratic Committee’s 44th annual lasagna dinner fundraiser Saturday night with a consistent message– it’s time to take back…
Va. ranked worst place in USA to work– Saslaw can help fix it, say labor leaders
By George Hogan and David Allison: In a recent OxFam study, an analysis was completed to determine the best state in which to work. The report categorized 11 policy areas into three basic dimensions—wage policies, worker protection policies, and the…
No.Va. Dems pick their ponies in local election straw poll
Democrats got a premonition of winners and losers in upcoming northern Virginia elections at a straw poll on Mar. 31 with over 500 in attendance. Far from a scientific survey, the event, called “Pick Your Pony, ” was billed primarily…
Sen. Warner delivers “report from the front”
By Karen Kirk: U.S. Sen. Mark Warner came to the Fairfax County Democratic Committee’s March meeting on Tuesday night to deliver a “report from the front.” “I’ve been spending huge amount of time looking into the attack on our democracy…
First Person: For me, Sen. Saslaw’s track record and moral fiber make him the obvious choice
By Mimi Dash: Experience matters. Look no further than across the Potomac River at the job House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is doing to an inexperienced president and administration. But as our Democratic Party drifts further and further to the left,…
Kids need exposure to diverse careers, says school board candidate Jung Byun
By Jung Byun: Growing up in an inner-city public school district sparked my passion and curiosity for education. I learned that not everyone is guaranteed access to a high-quality education. I was one of the few lucky students who tested…
First Person: A visit from Dick Saslaw convinced me to support Yasmine Taeb
By Julie Galdo: Recently I had a visit from State Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-35) for the first time in 36 years living in Falls Church, and I was disappointed. Instead of sharing why he was running again, Sen. Saslaw spent…