If he had more time to prepare, Paul Krizek would be a candidate for this year’s 45th District race. As it stands, he has decided not to run for the seat, currently occupied by Marian Van Landingham. She is serving the remainder of her term, but will not seek reelection due to the fact that she is being treated for colon cancer.
“I have prayed over it and consulted with my colleagues and political mentors and discussed it with my family, friends and staff,” Krizek said. “After due consideration, I reluctantly have decided that now is just not the time for me to seek political office. Unfortunately, the work I am involved in with Christian Relief Services Charities is so critical right now that I would not be able to devote the kind of time and attention that would be required to win this nomination, and I would be unwilling to seek the nomination unless I was able to give it my all.”
Krizek, currently serving as executive director of Christian Relief Services (CRS), added, “If I had been able to plan, I would have done things differently. I always thought I was spontaneous, but I now have a wife and daughter to support. I can’t drop everything and run for five months.”
Krizek is disappointed that the timing is not right, and may consider running for office in the future.
Had Krizek decided to run, he would have had the support of many Democrats from Mount Vernon, an area which comprises 20-30 percent of the 45th District.
“Paul Krizek was my choice,” said Gerry Hyland, Mount Vernon District supervisor. “I know Paul very well, have appointed him to committees and had no hesitation in supporting him.”
Hyland doesn’t know who, if anybody, he will now support. He has asked the candidates to send materials and campaign issues, and said, “I’ve not met with all the candidates. I’m looking forward to meeting them and hearing what they have to say. If I feel comfortable endorsing one, I will.”
“A good number of Democrats have urged me to run for Marian's seat. I am deeply honored and humbled to have so many of my fellow Democrats, especially my good friends, Mount Vernon Supervisor Gerry Hyland and Mount Vernon Democratic Committee co-Chair, Scott Surovell, be so supportive in urging me to seek this important office,” Krizek said.
“I’m disappointed that Paul didn’t choose to run, but he has a family to take care of and a charity to run. It was a short amount of time and he couldn’t prepare,” Surovell said.
SUROVELL SAID THAT the Mount Vernon Democratic Committee will not endorse a candidate for the Democratic primary, which will be held in June. However, individuals will be endorsing candidates and working to ensure that the person elected will have Fairfax County issues in mind.
“Fairfax is important,” Surovell said. “Depending on what happens in Alexandria, it’s possible that Mount Vernon will have a key role. I’m looking forward to talking to the various candidates and hearing what they can do for the Mount Vernon voters.”
It does not appear that there are any other likely candidates from Fairfax County. All of the candidates who have announced so far are from Alexandria: Elsie Mosqueda, 61, a legislative aide to Del. Brian J. Moran (D-Alexandria); David Englin, 30, a former Air Force officer; Jim Lay, attorney; and Richard Hobson, 73, a lawyer who served as a delegate from 1976 to 1980. Elsie M Libby Garvey (D), chair of the Arlington School Board and a Fairlington resident, has also announced that she will run for Van Landingham's seat.
“All of the candidates have their own basis support, but the key will be when somebody crosses their jurisdictional territory,” Surovell said. “It’s not altogether unusual for an outsider to win these things.”
KRIZEK HAS NOT DECIDED who he will endorse, but said that he will endorse a candidate soon, and get involved in the campaign. He also sees the Fairfax County component as being a critical part of the race.
“I think it is paramount that the party select effective advocates to do battle with those naysayers in Richmond whose record to the people of Virginia has been to starve our schools, ignore our roads and the urgent need for critical services in our communities, and to focus on socially divisive cultural issues instead of making Virginia a better place for all Virginians,” Krizek said. “I pledge to work hard for whichever talented Democrat wins the honor of carrying on the great work of Del. Van Landingham and to get out the vote, particularly in the Mount Vernon and Lee precincts for Tim Kaine and the rest of the ticket.”