Virginia Headlines

Home » Advocacy » Virginia » Virginia Headlines

Democrats/Republicans Select Candidates

On Tuesday, June 10, Democratic voters selected Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly as the party’s nominee to succeed retiring Congressman Tom Davis; they rejected former Congresswoman Leslie Byrne, who lost the seat to Davis in 1994. Connolly was supported by AOBA’s federal PAC, based on his comparatively strong pro-business record in five years as Board Chairman. At a convention of Virginia Republicans, meanwhile, former Governor Jim Gilmore defeated Del. Bob Marshall of Manassas for the right to square off against former Governor Mark Warner in the race to succeed retiring Sen. John Warner. However, Marshall’s strong base of conservative supporters and the near-upset they almost delivered, along with conservative Del. Jeff Frederick’s upset victory over former Lieutenant Governor John Hager as Republican Party Chairman, may indicate a return to conservative principles for the Party.