LeMunyon Seat May Be Democrats' Best Chance of Taking Out GOP Incumbent
House District 67 is one of the most hotly contested races of the year.
On paper, the 67th House District seems like solidly blue territory. Democrat Hillary Clinton won it with almost 60 percent of the vote. But Republican Del. Jim LeMunyon (R-67) has been in office for four terms, a time that this slice of Northern Virginia has been trending increasingly toward the Democratic Party. That puts this district in the spotlight as one of the most competitive House of Delegates races in Virginia, and it’s one reason supporters of Democrat Karrie Delaney say she's got a shot at ousting LeMunyon.
Flu Shot Clinic Serves Double Duty as Disaster-Planning Scenario
Planning for the worst while helping city residents feel their best.
Alexandria is in the grip of a medical emergency. A mysterious strain of influenza is creating a deadly health crisis, and it doesn’t seem to be responding to the standard flu vaccine. Wait. Calm down. It’s just a disaster planning scenario.
House District 40 Shows Republicans Still Competitive in Clinton Districts
Democratic newcomer Donte Tanner faces uphill climb against incumbent Tim Hugo.
Democrats are energized, and they’re targeting Republican-held House districts that Hillary Clinton won last year. But House District 40 shows what an uphill climb this year will be for them.
Senators Meet with Leaders of Industry
In joint appearance, Warner and Kaine talk business in Northern Virginia.
U.S. Sen. Mark Warner says Gov. Terry McAuliffe should pick one region of the commonwealth to compete for landing a second Amazon headquarters in Virginia instead of trying to cheerlead for three different areas simultaneously. U.S. Sen. Mark Warner says the federal government should be allowed to negotiate drug prices through Medicare to bring down the cost of prescriptions. These are some of the revelations that Warner and Kaine dropped on industry leaders this week at a meeting of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce.
Pendulum Politics in Northern Virginia
House District 34 has swung to the left, the right and back again.
Northern Virginia’s wealthiest suburbs are also some of its most hotly contested battleground precincts, the House of Delegates district surrounding Great Falls that’s swung left and right and left again in recent years. What once was the home of legendary Republican Vince Callahan has become kind of jump ball after he announced his retirement a decade ago.
A Tale of Two Immigrants
Candidates hoping to replace Dave Albo are both living the American Dream.
One is from Ecuador. The other is from Vietnam. Both are successful professional women hoping to fill the seat vacated by retiring Del. Dave Albo (R-42). But only one will prevail in November, creating one of the fiercest political contests on the ballot in Northern Virginia this year.
Rorschach Politics
Candidates for governor present inkblots on everything from the economy to Confederate statues.
The campaign for governor is a bit like a Rorschach test as the candidates close in on the final stretch toward Election Day. Democrat Ralph Northam and Republican Ed Gillespie are presenting a series of inkblots to voters about everything from the health of the economy to the value of Confederate statues.
Fighting the System or Ineffective Leadership?
Republican Linda Schulz challenges incumbent Del. Jennifer Boysko.
Democratic incumbent Del. Jennifer Boysko (D-86) is a leading voice of the resistance to Republican leadership. But is she getting anything done in Richmond? Her Republican challenger doesn't think so.
Challenging the Troublemaker
Leader of Democratic resistance challenged by independent who vows to be less antagonistic.
No member of the Democratic minority is as politically combative as Del. Marcus Simon (D-53). Simon’s independent challenger says he says he would take a less confrontational tone.
Democratic-Endorsed School Board Candidate Wins
Keys-Gamarra overcomes Republican-advantage in low-turnout August.
Guardian ad litem and Fairfax County Planning Commission member Karen Keys-Gamarra swamped Republican Chris Grisafe and two other candidates in a special election this week, one that Democrats say is a sign of strength for their party heading into the fall.
Moderate Republican Challenges Democratic Whip
First-time candidate challenges key figure in House Democratic caucus leadership.
Until this year, three-term Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49) has never had a Republican opponent.
Chamber Celebrates Tomorrow’s Alexandria
40 Under 40 feted by titans of industry at United Way headquarters in Old Town.
Low-Turnout High-Stakes Special Election for School Board
Countywide at-large seat to be determined by Aug. 29 special election; early voting is underway.
Special Election for School Board
Low-Turnout High-Stakes Special Election for School Board
Countywide at-large seat to be determined by Aug. 29 special election; early voting is underway.
Supreme Court of Virginia Sides with Car-Title Lenders
TitleMax, LoanMax and Fast Auto Loans will be able to keep details about their business secret.
How many cars did TitleMax repossess last year? What was the average loan amount for LoanMax? How many judgments did Fast Auto Loans obtain against people who were so hard up for cash that they handed over the title to their automobiles? That’s all information that these companies handed over to state regulators last year. But according to a new ruling from the Supreme Court of Virginia, it’s also information that these companies can keep secret.
Four-Term Incumbent LeMunyon to Face Former Republican
Karrie Delaney registered as a Republican after being appointed to local government in Florida.
Karrie Delaney knows a thing or two about Republican politics. Back in 2004, she was appointed as a Republican to the West Melbourne City Council in Florida. But she lost the election that year after she voted higher taxes. Now she’s running as a Democrat against four-term incumbent Del. Jim LeMunyon (R-67).
Virginia Republicans Play Establishment Card
Close primary campaigns for governor and lieutenant governor send GOP candidates to November ballot.
Virginia Democrats Play the Long Game
Voters choose candidates who have been planning their campaign for years rather than upstarts newly energized against Trump.
Albo Retirement Prompts Hotly Contested Virginia House Race
Democrat Kathy Tran to face Republican Lolita Mancheno-Smoak.
Three Republicans Running for Virginia Governor Offer Dueling Tax Plans
Cut taxes or raise taxes? GOP primary debate offers an unusual array of options.
Democratic Candidates for Virginia Governor Run to the Left
Two candidates try to ignore moderate records and repackage themselves as hardcore progressives.
Three Republicans Vie for Virginia Lieutenant Governor Nomination
Two state senators and a delegate hope to snag bid to preside over Senate sessions.
Three Democrats Vying for Virginia Lieutenant Governor
Two former prosecutors and veteran political operative on ballot.
Pioneering Change For Autism
University of Virginia seminar studies tension between “The Science & Lived Experience of Autism.”
Despite a recent surge in attention and research over the past decade about autism, controversy exists.
Lawmaker Work Group to Examine Virginia Predatory Lending
Panel to investigate internet loans, car-title loans and open-end lines of credit.
The growing chorus of criticism about predatory lending in Virginia may not have prompted lawmakers to start passing laws to crack down on the industry. But it has accomplished one thing, formation of a work group.
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
Robert Johnson of Woodbridge understands the mental health crisis from a personal perspective.
Era of the Iron Fist: How Did Democrats Rule the House of Delegates?
Democrats complain about Republican heavy-handedness, but were they any better?
Democrats complain that Republicans are sidelining their bills without much consideration. But were Democrats any better when they had control of the House of Delegates?
In Session: Virginia General Assembly Briefs
Ghost of Carter Glass
Meet state Sen. Carter Glass of Lynchburg.
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
The backlog of untested rape kits has received a lot of media attention in recent years, and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been working to find ways to process all that evidence. But that’s not the only problem with rape kits. Many of them are them are simply thrown away.
Cracking Down on On-the-Road Screen Time
Texting while driving is already illegal, but what about all the other screen time?
Lawmakers in Richmond are a bunch of angry birds, frustrated at existing law they believe does not solve the problem of drivers devoting their attention to their handheld screen instead of the road.
Angry Birds on the Road: Lawmakers Want to Crack Down on Screen Time
Texting while driving is already illegal, but what about Facebook and Twitter?
Lawmakers in Richmond are a bunch of angry birds, frustrated at existing law they believe does not solve the problem of drivers devoting their attention to their handheld screen instead of the road.
Angry Birds on the Road: Lawmakers to Crack Down on On-the-Road Screen Time
Texting while driving is already illegal, but what about all the other screen time?
Lawmakers in Richmond are a bunch of angry birds, frustrated at existing law they believe does not solve the problem of drivers devoting their attention to their handheld screen instead of the road.
Victims of Tribe-For-Rent Scam to Get $15 Million Payout in Settlement Agreement
15,000 Virginia victims get $6 million worth of predatory loans absolved, $9 million in cash awards.
The commercial features images of teepees and a tribal drumbeat. The company billed itself as having ties to the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. But Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring says that was nothing more than a fraud, a scheme he calls rent-a-tribe.
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
In Session: Virginia Assembly Briefs
Party-Line Vote Protects Child Labor at Tobacco Farms in Virginia
Republican-led House panel kills effort to craft new protections for kids in unrecorded vote.
In an unrecorded party-line vote, House Republicans killed a bill that would have cracked down on child labor at tobacco farms in Virginia.
Online Virginia Lottery Sales? Don't Bet On It
House panel rejects bill that would allow for sale of lottery tickets over the internet.
A coalition of convenience store owners and religious conservatives worked to till an effort from the Virginia Lottery to allow for online gambling, thwarting an effort aimed at increasing sales among millennial gamblers. The bill, introduced by Del. Roxann Robinson (R-27), was defeated with an overwhelming vote by a House General Laws subcommittee Tuesday afternoon.
Senate Panel Approves Crackdown on Internet Lenders in Virginia
Bill would subject unregulated loans to rules that apply to consumer-finance loans.
The Wild West of online lending is about to become a little tamer. That’s because a state Senate panel narrowly approved a bill that would subject internet loans to the same restrictions that currently exist for consumer finance loans, a move that would cramp the anything-goes culture of online loans in Virginia.
Senators to Alexandria: Clean Up Your Act by 2020 or Lose State Funding
Lawmakers poo poo city efforts to flush raw sewage.
Members of the Virginia state Senate say they’re tired of hearing excuses about sewage from city officials in Alexandria, and they’re pushing ahead with a plan that one senator calls “the nuclear option.” This afternoon, the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee approved a bill that sets a firm deadline for Alexandria to clean up its act — 2020. If city officials are unable to stop dumping more than 10 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River every year, Alexandria would lose all state appropriations until the problem is fixed.
Predatory Lenders Work Behind the Scenes to Avoid Regulation and Evade the Law
Campaign contributions and political connections used to sidestep crackdown.
Predatory Loans in the Crossfire: Lawmakers conflicted about how to handle high-interest loans.
In Session: Briefs
It doesn’t take much rain to trigger Alexandria’s 19th century sewage system to start dumping raw sewage into the Potomac River — about 0.03 inches, to be precise.
Council Notebook
Should Prince Street and Cameron Street have bike lanes? That's a question that city officials will be asking city residents starting Sept. 30. That's the date of the first community meeting on a proposal that would add bike lanes to the two major Old Town corridors, one eastbound and the other westbound.
Arlington: Sparring over Issues on Streetcar Proposal
Democrat Alan Howze issued a harsh attack against incumbent County Board member John Vihstadt last week, accusing him of using opposition to the proposed $333 million streetcar proposal on Columbia Pike as a "wedge issue" to score "political points" in a way that is "dividing our community." All of these attacks came before Howze outlined a five-point plan to improve the controversial project.
Alexandria: On the Road Again
Longtime director heads back to sunny Florida.
When Rich Baier came to Alexandria in 2000, the city had few bike lanes and no BikeShare. Monroe Avenue Bridge was a twisted jag that created gridlock on Jefferson Davis Highway. The idea of dedicated lanes for transit would have seemed alien. Now the longtime director of the Alexandria Department of Transportation and Environmental Services is stepping down to take a position as director of public works for Sumpter County, Fla.
Alexandria: Will Carluccio's Beat Site’s Jinx?
Long-shuttered landmark at 100 King has storied past.
The jinx of 100 King St. dates back to the Corn Exchange, the ill-fated original purpose of the building. When grain merchants failed, the soaring 25-foot ceilings were used as retail space to sell groceries and feedstuffs. Ground-floor retail space was reserved for Diamond tires in the 1920s. Since that time, the building has business after business open and close. More recent years have seen the landmark building boarded up and seemingly abandoned. Now London-based Carluccio's is hoping to break the curse of 100 King, opening its first American location here in Old Town.
Safety at a Crossroads in Poor Communities Across Northern Virginia
Less affluent neighborhoods in Northern Virginia suffer from higher pedestrian fatalities.
A national database of pedestrian crashes compiled by Governing Magazine shows 95 pedestrian fatalities in Northern Virginia between 2008 and 2012. While 26 of the pedestrian fatalities occurred in wealthy neighborhoods, where the per capita income is more than $53,000, a much larger number happened in poor communities like this stretch of Route 1 in Mount Vernon.
Potential Rivals Circling Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille in Advance of Democratic Primary
Kerry Donely and Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg consider primary challenges.
Alexandria Mayor Bill Euille's poor performance in the congressional primary to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) is calling into question his ability to lead the city, opening the door to talk about former Mayor Kerry Donley challenging Euille in next year's Democratic primary. That possibility has encouraged talk about Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg possibly entering the race as a candidate who would oppose the kind of large-scale development that Euille and Donley both support.
Income Growth in Fairfax and Alexandria Lags Behind State and National Averages
Loudoun is the one bright spot in the region.
Paycheck growth in Fairfax County and the city of Alexandria are lagging behind the state and the nation, according to data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Governor's Mansion, Confidential
Defense team in corruption case to detail crumbling McDonnell marriage.
When he takes the stand in his own defense, former Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell will read jurors an email that he wrote to his wife as their marriage was said to be crumbling.
The Safeway Four: Armed Robbers Sentenced
Three defendants sentenced to 35 years each; another sentenced to 12 years.
It was a crime that shocked Old Town, an armed robbery that rattled a neighborhood where most of the illicit activity is limited to petty theft from unlocked vehicles.