Observer Online | Viewpoints | A Year-Long Campaign Season

Posted Nov. 2, 2007

A Year-Long Campaign Season

Northern Virginia residents, and Herndon residents specifically, are at the beginning of a long, arduous year of political campaigning.

On Tuesday, Nov. 6, Herndon voters will go to the polls to choose their state delegate, after a bruising campaign between Republican incumbent Del. Tom Rust (86th) and his Democratic challenger Jay Donahue.

The race for the 86th District seat has been the most heavily contested race in our area, although Sen. Mark Herring (D-33rd) will defend his seat against Republican challenger Patricia Phillips, and Sen. Janet Howell (D-32nd) and Del. Ken Plum (D-36th) are running unopposed.

Outside of state races, our county supervisors are up for election, with incumbent Republican Joan DuBois (Dranesville) facing Democrat John Foust, and Democratic incumbent Cathy Hudgins (Hunter Mill) being challenged by a number of candidates, most notably independent Marie Huhtala.

But the Nov. 6 election is just the beginning of what will be a long and trying year of political campaigning. The Herndon Town Council elections will be next May, and even at this early stage it seems there will be much debate among candidates about the town's approach to the problems associated with illegal immigration and day laborers.

And the national media is already consumed with the national political races for Congress and the U.S. presidency, more than a year away from the general election in 2008.

Get out and vote on Nov. 6, and then stay tuned.