Tag: democrats

Posted on

Hunter Mill Unity Event June 12, June Meeting Postponed to June 19

The Hunter Mill Democrats’ monthly meeting, normally scheduled for Wednesday, June 12, is being postponed to the following Wednesday, June 19 in the cafeteria at Lake Anne Elementary School at 7:30pm. We will be meeting to approve new members and discuss candidate donations. Your participation is important as we decide as a committee how to begin disbursing the funds we have been raising since last year. Hunter Mill has a proud tradition of supporting Democratic candidates, so please plan to attend to make your voice heard!

On June 12 at the North County Governmental Center, Hunter Mill Democrats will instead have a Unity event  with our 2019 candidates, prevailing candidates, nominees and elected officials from 7:30 -9:00 PM. This event will bring us back to our shared Democratic cause as we work towards a blue victory in November. Be sure to join us for this celebration and let’s get to work to elect Democrats!

Posted on

A trio of stars puts sparkle in Hunter Mill’s lasagna dinner – 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 the majority in both the House and Senate.

Hala Ayala (D- 51, left), Kathy Tran (D-42, center) and Jennifer Foy (D-2, right) each delivered short but punchy presentations at the Reston Community Center exhorting diners to seize the moment to replace long-standing, but now slim, majorities in both chambers of the state assembly in state-wide elections on Nov. 5.

“We are the ones we’ve been waiting for,” said Del. Foy. “Now is the time we can play offense rather than defense.”

Del. Tran recounted some major accomplishments, spearheaded by Democrats, in the 2019 legislative session, such as Medicaid expansion. She also noted some disappointments, progressive legislation torpedoed by Republicans, but said that “all eyes are going to be on Virginia this November,” and that “we’re going to continue to fight for our values” in the effort to flip the legislature.

Del. Ayala used her own example to send a note of inspiration, having overcome financial hardship, family health issues, and rank bigotry in a successful bid to enter the state legislature.

The three speakers, all relatively young women of color, portrayed a diverse and energetic Democratic party ready to take center stage in a state turning increasingly blue.

The other major event of the evening was a tribute to Cathy Hudgins (right), who is retiring after two decades as Hunter Mill District’s representative on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Sup. Hudgins was recognized as an effective voice for social progress and justice by former colleagues including, Rep. Gerry Connolly (D- 11), a former Supervisory Board chair, who is traveling and contributed a congratulatory video.

Read the rest at The Blue View

Posted on

April 29 Hunter Mill District Supervisor Democratic Candidate Forum

Join the Hunter Mill District Democrats for their Hunter Mill District Democratic Committee Candidate Forum on April 29th from 7–9 PM at CenterStage at RCC Hunters Woods. This forum will allow Hunter Mill District residents to hear from their Democratic candidates for the Hunter Mill District Board Supervisor. This seat, currently held by Cathy Hudgins, is being vacated. Our Democratic candidates will be on the ballot for the June 11th primary and the prevailing candidate will be on the general election ballot on November 5th.

Check out https://huntermill.fairfaxdemocrats.org/bosforum/ and the HMDDC Facebook event at https://www.facebook.com/events/597568030758259/. The event is free, but tickets for attendance may be reserved here. We also encourage members to submit questions for the candidates beforehand here.

Posted on

Parker Messick: Development in Hunter Mill is excessive

Blue View Editor’s 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 that is home to many.

We are strengthened by the diverse cultures and ideologies that our great citizens bring to the district. Regardless of wealth or status, this community has been a beautiful place to live and work. However, over the last several years the Hunter Mill district has undergone an excessive amount of development. The increased burden on our local businesses, roads, environment, and schools goes against the intended purposes of development in our community. This burden of excessive development has been especially felt by long term residents of the district.

As a near lifelong resident of this community, I have witnessed the place I call home slowly transform into a community that only benefits a select few. The addition of expensive, high-rise apartments and buildings has made it extremely difficult for the Hunter Mill district to be a home to many. Increased development is not acceptable when it prohibits members of the district from enjoying what the community has to offer.

The paid parking at the Reston Town Center is a prime example of this prohibitive behavior. Restonians should not have to pay for parking at the Town Center. The simple act of paid parking discourages many citizens from socializing and shopping at Town Center, removing a source of community engagement and hurting local businesses in the process. The congestion present on local roadways has also impacted the citizens’ abilities to commute in a timely manner and practice safe driving practices. Our roads need to be upgraded and expanded for shortened commutes and safer travels.

More from The Blue View

Posted on

Samirah wins VA House of Delegates 86th District

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.

More from The Blue View

Posted on

Fairfax County Democratic candidates reach out to Muslim 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 Democratic Committee (FCDC) and urge membership.

Abrar Omeish, candidate for an at-large seat, and Jessica Swanson, Mason District candidate, addressed the audience and took questions while Jung Byun, Providence District candidate, also attended the event and mingled with participants.

“I’m excited to learn about how I can contribute to the party,” said participant Maura Yasin, who has volunteered in campaigns since the candidacy of Barack Obama but only recently became an FCDC member.

According to Omeish, Muslims are estimated at about 10% of the county’s population but only 4% of registered voters. While some are ineligible to become voters, she estimates that Muslims would account for at least 1-2% more of the electorate if all eligible voters registered.

More from The Blue View

Posted on

Unpacking the sausage of Fairfax County elections

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 on November 5, 2019. Whew! And before you have elections you have candidate selection –or, in the case of non-partisan offices, endorsement.   And this is a process of legislative, not to mention sausage-packing, complexity.

To keep the machinery moving, Fairfax County Democratic Committee (FCDC) helpfully keeps a  list of candidates and ongoing selections, updated frequently. Click here  to access.

To start, here are the offices to be elected on Nov.  5:

9 State Senators
17 House of Delegates Members
9 Board of Supervisors Members
1 Chairperson, Board of Supervisors
1 Commonwealth’s Attorney
1 Sheriff
9 District School Board Members
3 At-Large School Board Members
3 Soil & Water Conservation District Directors

Total: 53

More from The Blue View

Posted on

Special Election in Virginia Senate District 33

You probably know that thanks to the hard work of Democrats in Hunter Mill, Fairfax County, and in the rest of Northern Virginia, we are sending Jennifer Wexton to represent us in Washington. In order to do that, Jennifer Wexton has had to vacate her seat in Virginia’s 33rd Senate District. We will vote on Tuesday, January 8, 2019 for a new state Senator. Jennifer Boysko, a current representative in Virginia’s House of Delegates, has been nominated as the Democrat running for the seat.

Voting in the Special Election on January 8, 2019:

The election will be open to all registered voters who live in the Hunter Mill Precincts of Frying Pan and McNair. Voters in those precincts will vote in their usual polling locations on January 8, 2019. Polls will be open from 6am to 7pm.

In-Person Absentee (Early) Voting for the SD33 Jan 8th Special Election is available now at the Fairfax County Government Center, 12000 Government Center Pkwy, Fairfax, VA 22035. Early voting will be available from Monday, 11/26/18 through Saturday 01/05/19 from 9am-5pm.

Volunteering for Jennifer Boysko’s Campaign for State Senate

Canvassing and Phone Banking will  launch from 6 Pidgeon Hill Dr, Sterling, VA. Sign up here to help with weekend shifts:

And Sign up here for weekday shifts:

Remote Phone Banking is also available. If you are interested in volunteering in any capacity, please feel free to reach out to Chad Wiggins, Field Director cwiggins@vademocrats.org / 571-839-7040.

Handwritten postcards are a great way to communicate with potential voters with a human touch. Volunteers will also be organizing postcard-writing campaigns at the following dates, times, and locations:

Boysko’s campaign is also in need of housing for one more organizer through January 10, 2019. If you can assist, please reach out as soon as you can.

For More Information

Jennifer Boysko’s campaign website has further information on her as a candidate, and you can access it at https://www.jenniferboysko.com/. For more information on how to get involved and help make sure a Democrat stays in Virginia’s 33rd Senate District, contact Hunter Mill’s Vice Chair for Precinct Operations, Joanne Collins collinsjoanne@yahoo.com / 585-703-1121.

 

Posted on

Money in politics emerging as top issue in Virginia 2019 elections

By Abby Fox:

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 family, tobacco giant Altria, and private prison company GEO Group, among others.

The speakers agreed that the topic is sure to play an important role in elections in Nov. 2019 in which all 40 state senators and 100 state delegates will be chosen.

Event sponsors included: People Demanding Action, the End Corporate Rule Issue Organizing Team of People Demanding Action, Progressive Democrats of America-Virginia, Our Revolution Northern Virginia, Our Revolution Arlington, American Promise – Virginia, Our Revolution Alexandria, Activate Virginia, and Loudoun Progressives.

(Photo: Yasmine Taeb says she will take a leave of absence for six months to wage an electoral battle for Virginia state senate)

Much more from The Blue View