Candidates Announced for Congress

By Broadside Staff Reporter Robert Dongu

Since Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) announced that he would not seek reelection for the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008, four Democrats and one Republican have declared their candidacies to replace the seven-term congressman, whose 11th district includes George Mason University.

The Democratic candidate list for the June 10 primary includes former Congresswoman Leslie Byrne, the first woman elected to Congress in Virginia. She faces competition from Gerald Connolly, a well-known local figure who is chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. Also competing on the Democratic side are Mason senior and physical therapist Lori Alexander and retired Navy pilot Douglas Denneny.

Byrne and Connolly appear to be the Democratic favorites to win the Party’s nomination, according to Toni-Michelle Travis, Associate Professor of Public and International Affairs at Mason.

“They are the two top contenders on the Democratic side,” Travis said. “They will fight very hard for that nomination…it’s going to be a tough primary on their side.”

“Connolly has the business supporters and Byrne has Democrats that have been with her a very long time…[they are] very loyal supporters,” said Travis.

Businessman Keith Fimian is the lone Republican to announce his candidacy. The CEO of U.S. Inspect has amassed more than $700,000 for his campaign, according to The Fairfax Times. About half of that figure reportedly came from Fimian’s own resources.

In addition to strong financial support, Fimian is also backed by Davis, who was elected to Congress in 1994. Despite Democratic gains in the district, Davis became a Congressional mainstay, who won 55 percent of the vote in his 2006 reelection bid.

Although the seven-term Congressman said on his Congressional Web site in January that he would not seek reelection, he did not rule out a return to public office.

“I want to emphasize that I am not closing the door on future public service, but after 29 years in office, winning 11 elections, I think it is time for a respite,” Davis said in a statement.

The 11th District spans Fairfax City and parts of Fairfax County and Prince William County. The district has become increasingly Democratic in recent years, with residents voting majority Democratic in the 2004 Presidential election. In addition, eight out of 10 seats on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors belong to Democrats.

Despite the changing political landscape, Davis’ Congressional and local influence helped him stay in office for more than a decade. Although the Democratic candidates lack Davis’ history in the political spotlight, they each bring their own diverse experiences in areas, ranging from service in state government to the military.

After winning the 11th District in 1992, Byrne lost her seat to Davis two years later. She found her way back into politics as a Virginia State Senator, winning office in 1999. During her time in Richmond, she served on three committees, including the Privileges and Elections Committee.

Byrne ran for Lt. Governor in 2005 and lost a close race to Republican Bill Bolling. Although her candidacy was unsuccessful, Travis praised Byrne on her campaigning skills. However, she did note that her experience in the 11th District would not give her an advantage over other candidates.

“I wouldn’t say she has the edge because of that,” Travis said.

Connolly has been Chairman of the Board of Supervisors since 2003 and has lived in Fairfax for 29 years. He decided to announce his candidacy after listening to residents urging him to run.

"The public outpouring – there's almost nowhere I go where I'm not encouraged by the public to undertake this task," Connolly told a reporter for the Feb. 7, 2008 edition of The Washington Post.

Alexander said she is taking time off from her studies at Mason to run for Congress. She noted on her campaign Web site that “healthcare, education and the environment are supremely important to me; we can do far better for our children in these areas, and I intend to make this goal my mission.”

Denneny, a community leader from the district’s Mantua neighborhood, served in the U.S. Navy for 22 years. He later served as legislative liaison for the Joint Chiefs of Staff. According to Denneny’s Web site, he currently works in sales and marketing for Boeing Corporation.

Although Byrne and Connolly are well known candidates, Fimian, Alexander and Denneny could make a surprise run, despite their lack of an office-holding background. Travis mentioned that Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va,) and former Gov. Mark Warner (D-Va.) held no previous elected office, but managed to pull off surprising electoral victories. The diversity of the candidates should increase competition for the 11th District seat. Fimian, an Oakton resident, has business experience like Warner before he ran for governor. Alexander, a chemistry student at Mason with a Bachelor’s degree from Boston University, labels herself “the candidate of change.” Denneny is a Naval Academy graduate who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for valor during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

“[It’s] going to be a very interesting race,” Travis said.