Updated: Governor Announces Special Election Will Be Sept. 4
Republican and Democratic parties must hold a canvass to nominate their candidates by Aug. 4.
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Gov. Bob McDonnell has set Sept. 4 as the date for the special election to fill the seat of Del. David Englin, who announced his resignation from the Virginia House of Delegates effective Aug. 31.
The special election will also fill the seat of the late Sen. Yvonne Miller (D-5th), who passed away July 3.
McDonnell said Englin "has served his district ably since 2006," adding that holding these elections Sept. 4 "will allow for the citizens of these districts to have full representation and give the new Senator and Delegate time to fully prepare for the 2013 legislative session."
Having the special election in September will allow for a subsequent special election if it's deemed necessary after the Senate election, McDonnell said.
Holding the special election in September is "a horrendous waste of tax payer dollars,” Alexandria Democratic Committee Chairman Dak Hardwick told Patch. "The governor is going to cost the city another $30,000 to $40,000 to have this election when it could have been part of the ballot on Nov. 6."
The governor will not issue the writ of election until July 30 in order to give political parties time to prepare for the nomination process. After the writ is issued, parties will have five days to nominate a candidate.
The 45th District Democratic and Republican parties will hold their own nominating process, which must be completed by Aug. 4, according to Anna Leider of the Alexandria Voter Registration and Elections Office.
Democrats Karen Gautney and Rob Krupicka are running for the 45th District seat.
"We are surprised at the date," Gautney told Patch. "We had expected the special election to be held in November. We thought that made sense. ... I’m disappointed this is going to cost taxpayers more money. But we’ve been going full steam now for a few weeks reaching out and contacting voters."
"In politics, you always have to be prepared for surprises. We are prepared for anything,” Krupicka told Patch on Wednesday afternoon, adding that he was glad McDonnell finally made his decision but was “frustrated that the governor would choose a more expensive option…when there are a lot of other things in the state we should focus spending money on.”
Tom Fulton, chairman of the Alexandria Republican City Committee, said he did not know of any Republican candidates for the 45th District. He planned on getting together soon with his counterparts from Arlington and Fairfax counties to put together the nominating procedures should someone come forward.
For more Patch coverage of the 2012 Election, "like" Del Ray Patch and Old Town Alexandria Patch on Facebook and follow @delraypatch and @alexandriapatch on Twitter.
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Alexandria City Government - Voter Registration and Elections
132 N Royal St, Alexandria, VA -
Gail G
1:19 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Is there a Republican candidate for the 45th?
Sharon McLoone
1:50 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Not in Alexandria, but the district also includes parts of Fairfax and Arlington counties.
Drew Hansen
1:50 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Just updated the story. No GOP candidates for the 45th at this point. We were also told that James Lander is no longer running.
Gail G
9:24 pm on Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Thanks. I wonder is Frank Fannon will jump in.
Jim Miller
12:04 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Gail, have you heard whether or not if Frank Fannon is going to jump in this race? From what I've seen on his website, he's still running for reelection to the Alexandria City Council. My guess is that if Frank were running for David Englin's seat, he would have had some kind of formal announcement, changed his webside, but it looks like he apparently doesn't have any interest in running for the seat. I'm sticking to my plan of having Frank Fannon being the ONLY Republican I'll vote for this November. Hey, without Frank, the ARCC wouldn't have any formidable candidates running for the Alexandria City Council. Alicia Hughes has melted from being a realistic candidate for reelection, and Bob Wood isn't well known in the city, except for a portion of Old Town, and that's it. Frank Fannon would be better off, for his own reelection chances, to divorce himself from that HUGE political jugernaut known as the, uhm, Alexandria Republican City Committee, all 14 of their members, included. At least Frank, being a guy who was born in the City of Alexandria, raised in Alexandria, and now lives and has a thriving business as a mortgage broker for SunTrust Mortgage, gets it when it comes to local politics. To Frank's credit, he doesn't act like a Republican, which is a part of his charm. If Frank was a right wing idealogue or wing nut, he wouldn't have a chance of getting reelected. My wife and I met Frank in 2009 and we found him to be a very nice man who loves Alexandria.
Barry
9:23 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012
I'm for Rob Krupicka...not for Team Englin II, aka Karen Gautney.
Jim Miller
11:41 am on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Hey, since he's no longer running for the Alexandria City Council, and since he's no longer running for the Alexandria City Public Schools School Board, maybe, just maybe, the Republicans, all 14 of them on the Alexandria Republican City Committee, can nominate Doctor Scott Gordon to be their 'man with the plan' to run for the 45th District. We need a guy like Scott Gordon, who was extremely unpolished, brash, rude, obnoxious, arrogant, and someone, like a true politician, likes to stretch the truth, a bit. Let's try to get Scott Gordon in this mix! Politics are very dull without his 'bull in the china shop' style of politics in Alexandria. Come on, Scott. Get back into local politics, doctor!
Isaac Smith
12:05 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Excellent comment Jim Miller - yes, we need the good doctor to jump in and save the day! I'm sure that among his other well-deserved accomplishments, he's a turn-around artist, and can ably turn the city's great credit rating into a muddy tar pit. His campaign slogan could be "what's good for Dr. Gordon's ego, is good for the 45th," and of course even better for some shrink's couch. Run Scott, run, that flag-draped photo of you does no good on the sideline - you are a real hero, right up there with Ollie North, and Larry Craig.
Jim Miller
12:17 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Issac, yes, absolutely! We must put together an effort all jump out on the streets of Alexandria and say "IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE! WE NEED DOCTOR SCOTT GORDON, RIGHT NOW!" Local Alexandria politics are really flat-lining without the brash and arrogance that Scott Gordon brought to the scene. Scott if for nothing else, was ALWAYS good for a hard laugh when you needed it, too! There needs to be a clarion cry for the good doctor to jump back into politics like he never left. We sure need Scott Gordon in the dog days of summer, when it's hot and miserable outside. Where is he when we need a good daily jolt of the good doctor's 'in yo face' politics? Okay, so maybe he's not a true 'doctor', but his diatribes were always a basis of great laughter, and Scott was just what the doctor ordered! If he's got anything still left in his tank, let's hope that Doctor Scott Gordon makes a big announcment, at the Dairy Godmother, that he's running for the 45th!
Gail G
2:45 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Jim, I have no direct knowledge of Frank Fannon running for the 45th. I'd heard some rumors that he was considering it but that's all. My real question is whether the Republicans will bother to put ANYONE up for the seat. Frank would be the best and most obvious choice, but he knows it's a losing attempt. Whatever happened to Vicki Vasques? She disappeared after she lost to Englin.
Jim Miller
3:16 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Gail, Frank Fannon is a wise man, knowing all too well that for him to run for the 45th would be an absolute political disaster. The Republican I want to see rise from the ashes, someone who I would absolutely love to see run, would be Del Ray's adopted son, the doctor himself, Scott Gordon. We're missing the 'humor factor' in local politics and Doctor Gordon would enliven the campaign for the 45th, if for nothing else, give us something to look forward to, as he would, no doubt, have a wide variety of missives and statements that would make us all chuckle. Scott Gordon missed his calling as a stand-up comedian, although people most recently told him to go "sit down"! I'm all for seeing the 'Scott Gordon for the 45th Committee' to get ginned up. If we get some duct tape, we can redo his campaign signs from his past attempts of running for the city council and school board. "DOCTOR SCOTT GORDON - A MAN OF VISION" or "SCOTT GORDON - THE DOCTOR IS IN THE HOUSE!" "DOCTOR UP THE 45th WITH SCOTT GORDON!" But I digress. Oh, you wouldn't happen to be of any relation to Scott Gordon, are you? If you are, I sincerely apologize in more ways that I can try to convey here. I am so sorry if he is family.
Gail G
3:47 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Jim - Scott Gordon and I are not related. Alexandria gets more than its fair share of the humor factor with Alicia Hughes.
Jim Miller
5:55 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Yes, that's very true. Alicia Hughes never ever fails to disappoint when it comes to political humor. But having Scott Gordon in the mix would be awesome! The good doctor Scott would be so amped, revved up, always rude, always obnoxious, always caustic, always bombastic, always shrill, so much so that he could wake up the political spectrum that is in the duldrums right now. Scott Gordon would and could be a riot just waiting to happen! "DOCTOR SCOTT GORDON - NEVER FAILS YA! CURES WHAT AILS YA!" Scott could give speeches throughout the 45th and have a really bookish, nerdish guy who would say "Badda-Bump!" and "Tisch!" after ever big line in his stump speeches. Alicia can be funny, no doubt she'll continue to stumble her way to Election Day, but Scott would be much more rude, much more callous, and much more louder, than her. Don't you think that local politics would be much more livelier with Scott Gordon AND Alicia Hughes, both on the scene?
Doug
2:11 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
I was wondering how many comments would need to be made before you brought up Alicia's name. The answer is 21.
Edgar Warfield
4:48 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
It would be great for this old Scottish town if Scott Gordon jumped in to the race for the R's and Gail Gordon jumped into it for the D's.
Jim Miller
5:45 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Now that's the dream contest for the 45th, Gail Gordon vs. Scott Gordon. Gail, you'd win in a landslide!
Gail G
5:11 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Sorry to disappoint you Edgar but that ain't gonna happen. I'm supporting Rob Krupicka.
Jim Miller
6:03 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Gail, and why wouldn't you support a woman, one like Karen Gautney, who is much more liberal, and much more progressive, across the political spectrum, than Rob Krupicka? Karen would be perfect representing the 45th, versus Rob Krupicka, who has shown that he really doesn't have the most adroit political skills by having a woman like Shayna Englin work as his campaign advisor/manager. At least Karen Gautney would be someone that liberal/progressive Democrats would all rally around, in a huge way, in November. I know that Rob is both liberal and progressive, but he's tainted by his association with both Shayna and David Englin, who are both political disasters, coupled by their association with your really good friends, two other local stooges, Danny Barefoot and Sean Holihan. Karen is a vastly better candidate, in my humble opinion, than Rob, for this November.
Gail G
6:20 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Jim, Karen is David & Shayna's candidate.
Jim Miller
11:42 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Gail, that's true, and the fact that David & Shayna Englin have endorsed her probably has probably, unfortunately, doomed her campaign and her effort to win. I do think though, that Karen would be a much more stronger liberal and progressive delegate than Rob. Karen would also be a better representative and advocate for women's issues in the General Assembly, as well, a body of which women are severely underrepresented in both the House of Delegates and Senate. Karen should be the delegate to represent the 45th.
Jim Miller
6:30 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
Very good point, Gail. I realized that after I had posted my earlier comment. So both Karen and Rob are both tainted from David and Shayna's political disasters. That being noted, I still go back to my earlier assertation though, that Karen can and will be the voice we need in Richmond, for the 45th, who will be a much stronger advocate for liberal and progressive causes than Rob Krupicka ever will be. Would Rob do a good job? Probably. But would Karen do a better job? No doubt about that she would. You know it, and I know it, that Karen would be a strong representative for issues concerning women, minorities, social justice, and assisting the poor and disenfraniched than Rob. Rob is a likeable fellow, and a great family man, and someone who people can admire, for sure, but Karen has a long list of local political 'on the street' achievements that outshine Rob's background. I'm voting for Karen Gautney this September and I know of a lot of my other liberal/progressive Democratic friends who are going to do the same, as well.
Kim Moore
9:17 pm on Thursday, July 26, 2012
I look forward to voting for Rob Krupicka. He has been a dedicated resident and local politician. He has experience with Richmond politics via his work on the State Board of Education, plus in the City's interactions with Richmond.
Rob has been thoughtful and measured in his decision making. Even though he and I have not agreed on some of the issues, I definitely want him to be my representative in the State House.
Gail G
9:46 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Go here for info about the caucus for the 45th House seat:
http://www.45thdistrict.org/
Voting tentatively set for Thursday night the 2nd of August and Saturday 4 August from 10-5. Locations to be announced.
Drew Hansen
11:19 am on Friday, July 27, 2012
Locations have been announced, Gail. Here's the story: http://delray.patch.com/articles/democrats-organize-last-minute-caucus-to-choose-delegate-nominee
Jim Miller
3:37 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
I wonder if Scott Gordon still has a chance to throw his hat in the ring, as a Republican, to run against Rob and Karen. Anyone have any idea if Scott can still do it?
Gail G
4:05 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Jim - I think he can - it's up to the Republican Committee rules. They decide the nominating procedure for put up an R candidate.
Drew Hansen
4:31 pm on Friday, July 27, 2012
Scott Gordon resigned from the Alexandria Republican City Committee when he dropped out of the council race.
Jim Miller
5:53 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Sounds like Doctor Scott Gordon can most certainly run as an independent, then! Hey, the good doctor probably did himself a great favor by dissing the Alexandria Republican City Committee, anyways, because they are not a very strong political entity in the City of Alexandria. The good doctor had issues with the fact that the ARCC would both endorse and support Alicia Hughes' reelection campaign, which most people should agree with him on that count. I really don't understand, with all of her troubles and tribulations, why Alicia wants to embarrass herself, even more, while she continues to embarrass Alexandria. She should know that she'll never win, and quite frankly, she'll probably come in dead last on the ballot in November. Alicia should do the right thing and announce that she is going to get treatment, for time management, and that she won't seek reelection for her seat on the Alexandria City Council. Now that's where Scott Gordon, who could run as an independent, could come in and save the day! With Alicia out, and Scott in, the humor factor would absolutely multiply by 100, with the way Scott talks to people, and how he comports himself in public. Sure, the good doctor would never ever win any election that he ran for in Alexandria (or anywhere, for that matter), but it would be well worth the laughs, for people to help fund his campaign. Let's rally to get Scott Brown in this race. It's way, way, way too boring without him! Doctor Scott Brown in 2012!