4 Races Key To Shaping Fight for Legislature

By Michael Laris

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

They were the undercards on Virginia's ballots yesterday, but the hard-fought primaries in four Northern Virginia House of Delegates districts will help shape the fight this summer and fall over who wields power in the General Assembly.

Democrats took a majority of the state Senate in 2007, and President Obama's campaign drew large numbers of new Democratic voters to the polls last year. A key question in this year's races is whether that enthusiasm will continue to bring political gains for Democrats.

As results in the 12 House races across the state continued to stream in, leaders in both parties highlighted the strength of their nominees. In Arlington County's 47th District Democratic primary, lawyer Patrick Hope, who was endorsed by key General Assembly members, handily defeated his four opponents.

In Prince William County's 52nd District Democratic primary, pastor Luke E. Torian beat former Secret Service agent Michael A. Hodge. Torian wouldn't commit to supporting a tax increase for transportation, an idea backed by opponent Hodge.

In Fairfax's 35th District, Mark L. Keam, a former congressional aide, defeated his three Democratic opponents. "We simply cannot function in Richmond unless the House of Delegates is more reasonable than it is today," said Keam, who raised more than $194,000.

The 38th District contest between Del. Robert D. Hull (Fairfax) and Fairfax School Board member Kaye Kory (Mason) was too close to call. It was the first challenge the Democrat had faced in his 16-year career.

Bouts of foul weather helped curtail turnout in the contests, leaving precinct workers at times outnumbering voters. But there was also intense interest in the races in Fairfax, Arlington and Prince William, which turned on questions of policy, qualifications and electability.

Democrat Stephen C. Shannon is leaving his Fairfax seat to run for attorney general. "Before we talk about pickup opportunities, we have to secure all open Democratic seats," Keam said.

Democrats need to gain six seats in November to take control of the House, and with it, key issues such as transportation funding. Leaders in the Republican-controlled House have blocked proposals to raise taxes to pay for long-needed improvements. But many Democrats and business leaders say that increasingly snarled roads will choke efforts by both parties to spur job growth and that raising sales or gas taxes is the solution.

In Arlington's 47th District, which covers a broad stretch of the county that includes the Ballston and Rosslyn areas, five Democrats were vying to fill the seat of retiring Democrat Albert C. Eisenberg. No Republican filed to run by yesterday's deadline. Although a Green Party candidate has filed a challenge, Hope is seen as the presumptive representative in a liberal district where voters such as environmentalist Ron Fisher, 70, are common.

"I have no trouble with raising taxes," Fisher said. "I think our society needs to be paid for somehow, and I've never objected to paying my share."

"I'd especially like to see a gas tax since I don't own a car," he added with a smile.

Tagged: elections, House, politics, State news

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