City of Alexandria
Mo Seifeldein
City council member Mo Seifeldein is ending his campaign for mayor — and will not be running for city council again this November, either.
The one-term city council member sent out an announcement late Monday saying he plans to serve the community in other ways, including mentoring students.
He did not give a specific reason for his decision to end his campaign or to step down at the end of his council term, which ends in December.
Seifeldein is the third city council member to announce he will not run again: Redella (Del) Pepper is retiring after more than three decades on city council. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker announced she will vacate her seat as vice mayor to run for the Virginia House of Delegates.
Several residents have announced plans to run for council, including James Lewis, Abdel-Rahman Elnoubi, Alyia Gaskins and Richard Kirk McPike. Incumbent council members Amy Jackson, John Taylor Chapman and Canek Aguirre all plan to run for re-election.
Seifeldein's move leaves Mayor Justin Wilson to run unopposed for mayor, unless another candidate steps up by the time election filings are due in mid-March.
In his press release, Seifeldein said, “Justice must be fought for, secured and reinvented. I have dedicated my life to securing and fostering an environment where voiceless and overlooked segments of our population can find justice. My pursuit of justice has been fueled by the injustice I observed and experienced as a child. Each of us has an obligation to contribute to our community in responsible and positive ways. I have been fortunate in trying to fulfill my obligations to my community as a lawyer and a Councilman. I’d like to believe that I discharged my duties as a Councilman with an unfettered commitment to justice for all of Alexandria’s residents. I am hopeful that there have been successes, both symbolic and substantive, that will serve Alexandrians into the future."
Some of his accomplishments include advocating for unions, undocumented immigrants and trangender Alexandrians.
