election

The Campaign Trail is a Family Affair for Jim Moran

By ARLnow.com

“We’re feeling good,” Rep. Jim Moran said outside the Cora Kelly Recreation Center in Alexandria this afternoon.

The ten-term Democratic congressman was shaking hands with voters as they went to the polls, asking for their support. It was one of the final few stops in his campaign to win an eleventh term.

Moran, who voted in Shirlington, had visited the Lyon Village, Lyon Park, Gunston, Woodlawn, Washington-Lee and Jefferson precincts in Arlington earlier in the day. He was planning to keep going in Mt. Vernon and southeast Fairfax County until polls closed at 7:00 p.m.

Moran admitted to being a bit nervous, as he is on every election day, but said that the busy schedule of stops at polling centers helps to “work off the anxiety.”

A campaign staffer expressed confidence that turnout in Arlington was going their way. They were seeing higher turnout in South Arlington and along the R-B corridor, the staffer said, and lower turnout in the more conservative parts of North Arlington. At the time, no turnout information was readily available for other parts of the district.

Joining Moran at the recreation center were his four children: Jim, Patrick, Mary, and Dorothy. They stood around, speaking to the volunteers outside the center, but mostly let dad chat up the voters.

The show of family solidarity was unsurprising. The congressman’s children have been protective of their 65-year-old father at points during the course of the campaign.

In one ambush-style video posted by the campaign of Republican challenger Patrick Murray (fast forward to 1:20), Mary Moran, who formerly worked for the NFL Players Association, tries to get the cameraman to leave while Rep. Moran fumes in the background, apparently in response to a question.

“Go away, go away, because dad won’t do anything to you… it’s wildly inappropriate for you to do this,” she said, her voice laced with emotion.

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California Tortilla Makes the Same Mistake as the Young Dems?

By ARLnow.com

Last week we told you about a seemingly innocuous event held by the Arlington Young Democrats: a happy hour to give free beer to anyone who showed up at a bar with a sticker indicating they voted absentee.

As Politico reported, however, such giveaways are illegal under federal election law. Starbucks has also learned that lesson.

But apparently nobody told local burrito chain California Tortilla. The company, which has a store in Courthouse, is offering a free taco to anyone who shows up with an “I Voted” sticker.

How long until the feds politely shut it down? Or, at least, force California Tortilla to give away tacos to everyone?

Update at 9:20 a.m. — As a commenter points out, the giveaway may be legal, after all. If you simply scream “I love election day” you qualify for a free taco, according to the California Tortilla website. Any federal election lawyers want to weigh in?

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

It’s Election Day — See our election day guide here.

Don’t Give Money To Panhandlers, Say Advocates — What should you give when a panhandler approaches you on the street? Whatever you do, don’t give money, say advocates for the homeless. The Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network recommends giving its new “Arlington County Street Guide,” a pocket-sized information packet for the panhandlers. More from the Sun Gazette.

JetBlue Now Flying Out of DCA — Yesterday marked the first day of JetBlue flights out of Reagan National Airport. The airline is operating seven daily nonstop flights to Boston’s Logan airport, one daily nonstop to Orlando and one daily nonstop to Fort Lauderdale, each out of Terminal A. JetBlue is currently offering a special $49 fare to and from Boston for travel between Dec. 1 and Jan. 31. More from JetBlue.

Arlington Dentist Buys Back Candy — Dr. Michael Rogers of Fairlington Dental has a special offer for trick-or-treaters. He’s offering to pay kids $3 per pound for cavity-causing Halloween candy. He’ll even throw in a free toothbrush. What’s Dr. Rogers going to do with all that candy? He’s going to ship it to our troops in Afghanistan. More from TBD.

Flickr pool photo by Plaszloc.

Murray Campaigns on the Eve of Tuesday’s Election

By ARLnow.com

It was a whirlwind trip around the 8th District today for Republican congressional candidate Patrick Murray.

With the help of a campaign bus, a core group of staffers and a collection of volunteers, Murray greeted voters in ten different locations around the district, part of his week-long “Road to Victory Tour.”

Murray’s first stop in Arlington was a guest appearance on G. Gordon Liddy’s radio show, which broadcasts from Rosslyn. The two men bantered about Murray’s military service and opponent Jim Moran’s comment that military service does not constitute “public service.”

“I don’t know who this Moran fellow thinks he is, but wow, that really takes the cake,” Liddy said, after rattling off the ranks three children and one grandchild who have served or are serving in the military.

After the Liddy interview, it was off to Clarendon. Starbucks was first on the agenda, for a much-needed caffeine infusion.

(The public appearances had started at 6:30 a.m. at the Huntington Metro station, and weren’t scheduled to end until 7:00 p.m., at the King Street Metro station. “I’ve stopped looking at the schedule because it just keeps going,” Murray said wearily.)

As Murray was getting ready to leave Starbucks, an aide told him he had to make a series of important phone calls. He pleaded for some time to walk around first.

Murray was remarkably unintimidated by the deep blue surroundings: a Whole Foods, a yoga apparel store, an indie rock club. Flashing a big smile, he approached the few people who were walking around Clarendon at 12:15 on a Monday afternoon. The grin was greeted with politeness at worst, and an enthusiastic pledge to vote at best.

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A Guide to Tomorrow’s Ballot

By ARLnow.com

Wondering about the candidates, bond referenda or the proposed amendments to the Virginia Constitution on tomorrow’s ballot?

You’re in luck. Arlington County has an excellent guide to the election, with links to a sample ballot, explanations of all three constitutional amendments (1, 2, 3) and all four proposed bonds.

The polls will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. See a list of poling places here.

Moran and Murray Supporters Trade Accusations

By ARLnow.com

Did a Patrick Murray campaign volunteer get up in the face Rep. Jim Moran at the Huntington Metro station early this morning, as a Democratic source tells us?

Or did Moran and his son go “ballistic” and direct a “profane tirade” at the volunteer, as the Murray for Congress blog says?

Or, perhaps, both?

With precious few hours left until the polls open tomorrow morning, a shadow of political ugliness has enveloped the 8th District.

Murray first made the accusation against Moran on the Chris Plante radio show on 630 WMAL this morning. Since then, the campaign says a supporter has offered a $1,000 reward “to anyone who can provide video of the incident by 5:00 p.m. tonight.”

Meanwhile, the Moran campaign is firing back.

“For someone that claims to be running on the theme of ‘honor and courage’ this a new low,” a campaign spokesperson said. “These childish acts of desperation are symptomatic of a campaign headed for defeat.”

Jon Stewart Would Approve of the County Board Race

By ARLnow.com

If Jon Stewart wanted to find sanity in politics, he would have had to look no further than across the river in Arlington. This year’s county board race has been polite, issues-oriented and has avoided the stench of national political hyperbole or special interest interference.

Adding to the sanity, the race has also featured a viable third-party candidate who’s a full participant in debates, not a side show.

In Highland Park Thursday night, a quiet, attentive, sign-less audience watched as Democratic incumbent Chris Zimmerman, Republican Mark Kelly and Green party candidate Kevin Chisholm debated a range of issues.

The most heated portion of the debate — relatively speaking — came when Kelly again tweaked Zimmerman on the county’s Columbia Pike/Crystal City streetcar project. Referring to it as a “$200 million trolley,” Kelly made an economic argument against the massive project.

“I just don’t think it’s a wise investment moving forward,” was Kelly’s zinger. Chisholm — a self-described social liberal and fiscal conservative — agreed, and spoke of the “gentrification effect” the streetcar could cause on Columbia Pike.

Zimmerman, who has made the streetcar a bit of a personal mission, responded with a passionate defense of the “years of input” on the project and the “stronger network of public transportation” that the project will bring to the Pike. He announced his annoyance that debate rules didn’t give him enough time to discuss the project’s financing.

The remainder of the debate was pure zen for a sanity supporter. In fact, the most intemperate remaining portion of the debate came from the moderator, who asked about the “glib” county staff response to concerns about the development plan for East Falls Church.

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Candidates Attend Kiwanis Oyster Roast

By ARLnow.com

The candidates for public office in Arlington from congress on down all made the rounds at the Kiwanis Oyster Roast and Barbeque Feast on Saturday night.

Notable at the event was the “entourage gap.” Republican congressional candidate Patrick Murray brought a bus, a van, a dozen supporters and a guy dressed in an elephant costume. Incumbent Jim Moran brought, as far as we could tell, his chief of staff and a couple of family members.

More photos after the jump.

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Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Glebe Road Sewer Project Keeping Residents Up At Night — The county has started a new sewer project on South Glebe Road between 5th Street and 1st Road. The project will increase the capacity and reliability of the sewer system in the area. But the work of tearing up the road is being done at night, which has some residents complaining about the noise. More from the Washington Post.

Marine Corps Marathon Goes Off Without a Hitch — With stepped-up security in place, some 30,000 runners safely participated in the 35th Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday. Air Force 2nd Lt. Jacob Bradosky won the 26.2 mile race, which winds through Rosslyn, Crystal City and the District, with a time of 2:23:30. Kenyan Janet Cherobon won the women’s field with a time of 2:42:38. More from the Washington Post.

IOTA Club Expands Beer List, Plans Renovations — Clarendon’s IOTA Club has expanded its draft beer list to 12 beers. The music venue’s current selection includes craft beers like Moonglow Weizenbock, Bear Republic Racer 5, Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere. The decision to upgrade the beer taps “is part of a larger improvement project at IOTA which includes an interior renovation/reconfiguration, a new outdoor front seating area, a new menu, coffee service, and many other things.” More from DC Beer.

Voter Turnout Could be Record — According to a projection by county treasurer Frank O’Leary, this year could be a record in turns of the number of voters voting in an off-year when the House of Representatives race is the marque race. But the percentage of active voter turnout will not be a record, O’Leary predicts. The dry weather predicted for tomorrow should help turnout. More from the Sun Gazette.

Flickr pool photo by philliefan99

Young Democrats Beer Giveaway May Have Been Illegal

By ARLnow.com

Politico is reporting that an Arlington Young Democrats-sponsored “absentee voting happy hour” last week may have broken federal election laws.

The event, at Velocity Five in Courthouse, promised free beer for anyone who showed up with a sticker proving that they voted absentee.

“In elections in which federal candidates are on the ballot, no one can offer any kind of benefit or reward for voting,” an election law professor told Politico.

AYD President Gordon Simonett said “zero people” showed up to take advantage of the group’s offer.

Murray Skips Debate, Slams Moran on Chinese TV

By ARLnow.com

Republican Patrick Murray skipped the last scheduled candidate debate in Arlington last night, leaving Democratic incumbent Rep. Jim Moran and Independent Green candidate Ron Fisher to have more of a “discussion” in front of nearly 100 residents.

But earlier this week Murray found the time for a 12-minute interview with New Tang Dynasty Television, which is affiliated with Falun Gong, the Chinese religious movement.

During the interview, Murray blasted Moran’s outspoken support of earmarks, calling the ten-term congressman “irresponsible” and “an anachronism from the past.”

“The earmarks benefit [Moran] more than anyone else,” Murray said. “The way he works earmarks, it’s called ‘pay to play.’ The defense industries and the IT industries, they feel forced to participate in it. They give him campaign donations in return.”

In response to an inquiry from ARLnow.com, the Moran campaign broke its usual silence and fired back.

“Patrick Murray has no clue about the needs of the 8th District because he only moved here 18 months ago,” the campaign said. “If he had more knowledge of Northern Virginia, he’d be aware of the importance of earmarks for building Dulles Rail, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, Springfield Mixing Bowl and countless other projects that create jobs and benefit our region’s quality of life.”

“Mr. Murray’s attacks on the Federal Government, such as calling for the elimination of the Department of Education, are way out of touch and will fall on deaf ears,” the campaign added. “Northern Virginians know how integral the Federal Government is to our economy, which includes thousands of contracting jobs, consulting positions and related service industry jobs.”

In other parts of the surprisingly topical NTD TV interview — it may have been the most issue-oriented interview of the entire campaign — Murray tried to strike a more moderate tone.

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