By Karen Kirk: It’s time to take the “Virginia miracle” into America’s mainstream and win back the Senate and the presidency, said U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro at the Fairfax County Democratic Committee’s Jefferson Obama Annual Dinner Sunday night in McLean. DeLauro, D-Conn., said that she is optimistic about what is about to happen in America because “of the story that…
By Steve Descano: Candidate for Commonwealth’s Attorney in the Democratic primary on June 11 Since the 1960s, Fairfax County’s criminal justice system has been led by the mistaken notion that “tough-on-crime” policies reduce criminal behavior and improve outcomes for our community. Instead, these policies harm our neighbors and perpetuate a cycle of decreased opportunity, increased poverty, and increased crime. The…
By Brad Swanson: Kofi Annan is puzzled. He’s the president of the Fairfax County NAACP, one of the largest and most active chapters in the Commonwealth, and winner of a prestigious prize as the best chapter in the country. Yet Gov. Ralph Northam’s office, much less the governor himself, won’t speak to him about how to deal with a racist…
By Brad Swanson: Democratic Party candidates for criminal prosecutor clashed in a debate Friday, May 24, as challenger Steve Descano painted a vision of “progressive justice” while incumbent Ray Morrogh, represented by a staff attorney, insisted on the importance of deciding each case on its individual merits. Morrogh, who was ill and sent Katherine Stott from his office as a…
By Brad Swanson: The four Democratic Party candidates for Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chair met on Friday, May 24, to debate the issues and found themselves largely agreeing on the need for affordable housing, universal pre-kindergarten, school trailer elimination, and mass transit expansion. The candidates differed less on the goals and more on who could accomplish them best. Jeff…
By Brad Swanson: The Fairfax County Democratic Committee voted unanimously on Tuesday, May 21, to urge that Gov. Ralph Northam allow transgender troops to serve openly in the Virginia National Guard — not knowing that just a few hours earlier the Guard’s commander had confirmed it would abide by Pres. Trump’s transgender military ban. The FCDC resolution (see text here)…
Karen Keys-Gamarra, Abrar Omeish and Rachna Sizemore Heizer were endorsed for the Fairfax County School Board by Fairfax County Democratic Committee on Tuesday night, May 21. The three candidates, in the order above, were the top vote-getters in a poll among FCDC members, easing out incumbent Ilryong Moon. A total of 1,337 members voted through early voting and at the…
Chris Koerner, Gerald Peters and Monica Billger were endorsed for Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District director by Fairfax County Democratic Committee on Tuesday night, May 21. The three candidates, in the order above, were the top vote-getters in a poll among FCDC members, easing out Richard Clayton. A total of 1,337 members voted through early voting and at…
Candidates for the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District say what motivates them to seek a seat on the board and why they are qualified to serve as stewards of the environment. They made their comments at a recent forum. The FCDC Endorsement Vote is at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, May 21, at Lake Braddock Secondary School, 9200 Burke Lake…
In their own words, at-large candidates for Fairfax County School Board say what motivates them to seek a seat on the board, why they are qualified, and their plans to lift up all students. They made their comments at a recent forum. The FCDC Endorsement Vote is at 7:30 p.m. tonight, Tuesday, May 21, at Lake Braddock Secondary School, 9200 Burke…
By Benjamin Tribbett: Recently The Blue View published a story about the controversy surrounding “bullet voting” in the race for Fairfax County School Board. There seem to be a number of misconceptions about how this process works, so I wanted to take this opportunity to make the statistics behind an election like this easier for people to understand. Campaigns in…
By Brad Swanson: Robert Mueller isn’t speaking in code or legalese when he practically begs Congress to impeach Pres. Trump. In fact, the special counsel says it in plain English in just eight pages of his 448-page report — the introduction to Volume II, which deals with the question of obstruction of justice by the president. Mueller opens by telling…
By Brad Swanson: School board members have great power in Fairfax County, the 10th largest school district in the country, with a budget of almost $3 billion. And candidates – who are technically non-partisan — avidly seek the endorsement of the Democratic Party to gain advantage in this increasingly blue region. But who decides which candidates will get the Democratic…
By Brad Swanson: It’s unusual for an ex-governor of national stature to endorse local candidates in primaries, but as Terry McAuliffe acknowledged in a recent interview with The Blue View, “These are special circumstances.” The popular former governor, who served in Richmond 2014-18, has put his seal of approval on three candidates in northern Virginia’s upcoming Democratic primaries on June…