Democrat Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, Alexandria's vice-mayor, has won a seat in the House of Delegates, representing the 45th District which includes a part of Alexandria.
Bennett-Parker addressed her win Tuesday night, saying on social media: "I'm honored to be the Delegate-elect for the 45th district. Thank you to every voter who put their faith in me. I got into this race to continue delivering for our community. I will always strive to ensure that our Commonwealth is an equitable and inclusive place for all."
Her opponent, Republican J.D. Maddox, conceded the race Tuesday night, telling his supporters:
"The voters of District 45 have cast their ballots, and they have chosen my opponent as their Delegate to the Virginia Assembly. I concede.
While I am let down by the results of this election, I am encouraged by the strong signal of support for the moderate position that I championed throughout the campaign. It has become clear to me that voters in District 45, and much more widely, are eager for movement toward the center, and are disheartened by the extreme partisanship they're hearing from both sides.
When I chose to run as a Republican in one of the most Democratic locations in the state, I actively took on the challenge as an opportunity to demonstrate that civil political dialogue is still possible, and that we can come together across the political divide. Among the nearly 3,000 doors we knocked on, and during all of our forums and meet-n-greets, that message was well received. But party allegiance might've blinded many voters to the opportunity for positive change.
I have learned a great deal from the voters of District 45 since I announced my candidacy in March. I hope to carry those lessons forward as I continue my fight for moderate principles. There is much work to be done.
Finally, I would like to thank my family, my friends, the campaign staff, and the extraordinary network of political activists who have made this campaign possible. I am humbled by your support.
Faithfully,
J.D.
The district includes Alexandria as well as parts of Arlington and Fairfax counties.
Election results: 26 of 32 precincts reporting at 10:25 p.m.:
- Bennett-Parker: 30,733 (73.57 percent)
- Maddox: 10,924 (26.15 percent)
In Alexandria, with 18 of 19 precincts reporting, Maddox has 26.14 percent of the vote and Bennett Parker has 73.57 percent of the vote.
Photo courtesy of candidate
New City Council Member Elizabeth Bennett-Parker will become vice mayor of Alexandria, after getting the most votes Tuesday.
The seat was previously held by Del. Mark Levine. Levine ran for lieutenant governor and his delegate seat but lost in the primary earlier this year to Bennett-Parker and to Hala Ayala in the lieutenant governor's primary race.
Bennett-Parker, 35, was elected to the Alexandria City Council in November 2018 and is the youngest woman elected to Council in Alexandria’s history. Elizabeth is the incoming Chair of the Virginia Railway Express (VRE) Board and also serves on the following local and regional boards: the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission; the Northern Virginia Regional Commission; the Visit Alexandria Board of Governors; the Eco-City Alexandria Environmental Action Plan Steering Committee; the Alexandria Campaign on Adolescent Pregnancy; the Library Board; and co-chairs the Legislative Subcommittee of Council with the Mayor.
Maddox, a national security consultant, is also a professor at George Mason University.
“Voters should elect me because I am bringing decades of real world experience to a set of problems that my competitors have simply been bad at solving,” Maddox said in an interview with Alexandria Living Magazine earlier this year.
Photo courtesy of Maddox for Virginia
These issues, which he details on his campaign website, include congested roads, a broken sewer system, inadequate IT infrastructure, lack of support for small businesses and declining schools. The education system, which has been exacerbated by COVID-19 closures, is important to Maddox who has two daughters ages 9 and 10.
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In addition, Alexandria-area voters are participating in the following races. Results will be available for all of these late Tuesday night. (See a map of districts here.)
District 38: Incumbent Democrat Del. Kaye Kory is facing Republican Tom Pafford for this seat. The district covers southwest Bailey's Crossroads, Lincolnia and points west. Results: Kory 69 percent of vote, 21 of 22 precincts reporting
District 39: Incumbent Del. Vivian Watts, a Democrat, is facing a challenge from Republican Maureen Brody. Independent (Green Party) Nathan Falu Febres is running as a write-in candidate. District 39 covers the western parts of Franconia, plus Springfield and North Springfield. Results: Watts 66 percent of vote, 23 of 24 precincts reporting
District 43: Republican Brenton Hammond is challenging incumbent Del. Mark Sickles, a Democrat. The district includes all or part of Groveton, Rose Hill, Kingstowne, Franconia and Newington. Results: Sickles 71 percent of vote, 20 of 21 precincts reporting
District 44: Incumbent Del. Paul Krizek, a Democrat, is facing a challenge from Richard Hayden. District 44 runs along the Potomac River from just south of Belle Haven through Mount Vernon and west toward Fort Belvoir. Results: Krizek 67 percent of vote, 19 of 20 precincts reporting
District 46: Democrat Del. Charniele Herring is running unopposed for her current seat. Herring's district covers the southwestern half of the City of Alexandria. Results: Herring 92 percent of vote, 16 of 17 precincts reporting
