The June 12 Democratic Primary election is less than a week away, and Margaret “Margi” Vanderhye and Richard “Rip” Sullivan are stepping up their game in these final days of campaigning. The two contenders are vying for the chance to run as the Democratic party candidate in the November election for the Virginia House of Delegates 34th District seat that is currently occupied by long-standing Republican representative Del. Vincent Callahan. Callahan has been a member of the Virginia House of Delegates for the last four decades, but announced his retirement in March.
Vanderhye said she plans to spend this last crucial week in the same fashion that she spent the last few months.
“We’re going to continue to do what we’ve been doing all along, but maybe at a more intense pace,” said Vanderhye, who resides in McLean. “I’ve always said from the beginning that this election will be won one voter, one phone call, one dollar at a time. That’s what I’ve been doing, and that is what I am going to continue to do until the very end. So between now and the close of polls on June 12, I will be calling people up, knocking on their doors and talking to voters.”
Vanderhye said she feels confident about her chances of emerging as the victor in next week’s primary.
“I feel very good about this race and the way we’ve run it,” she said.
One reason for Vanderhye’s confidence is the recent onslaught of public endorsements of her candidacy by various organizations and individuals. Dranesville District Fairfax County Public School Board member Jane Strauss went on record as a Vanderhye supporter, as did the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, the Sierra Club and the Virginia Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers.
“I have observed Margi’s dedication to education and her tireless work on behalf of children for 20 years,” said Strauss in a press release announcing her official support of Vanderhye. “What has impressed me most is her leadership skills. She doesn’t just help out, she creates solutions, builds coalitions and develops consensus. I am certain that she is the best qualified candidate to lead Democrats in the House of Delegates, and I wholeheartedly endorse her.”
VANDERHYE’S OPPONENT Rip Sullivan is also making door-to-door rounds this week.
“I’m knocking on doors, I’m calling on people — I’m doing everything I can,” said Sullivan, who lives in McLean and works as an attorney for the firm Reed Smith, LLP. “This week is going to be a lot of effort, a lot of phone calling and a lot of talking. We’re going to finish this out and sprint through that finish line.”
From the beginning of his campaign, Sullivan has marketed himself a candidate who sees local issues from the perspective of a father. Sullivan and his wife have four children who range in age from elementary school to college, and Sullivan said the toughest part of running for political office was the impact it had on his family.
“It’s been terrific, it’s been fun, but I’m not sure it’s been much fun for my family,” said Sullivan. “It’s been a huge imposition on them as far as my time and attention.”
Even so, it was not enough of an imposition to prevent Sullivan’s clan from rallying around him through every step of his campaign. His wife and children have been a constant fixture, standing at his side during the countless political functions and community events of the last few months. Sullivan said no matter what the outcome of next week’s election, one thing is for certain — he plans to immediately take a few days off for some much needed quality time with his wife and children.
“Next week is a big week for us,” said Sullivan. “My daughter is turning 21, my son is graduating from high school, his prom is this Friday and my youngest son is going to be in the Little League City Series. So there are a lot of balls up in the air for the Sullivan’s right now.”
SINCE Vanderhye and Sullivan essentially share the same political views on how to best tackle local transportation, environment and education issues, voters will most likely make their choice based on the professional experience and background of the two candidates. Sullivan says that as an attorney, he has worked tirelessly to advocate on behalf of traditionally underrepresented and underserved groups. He was also instrumental in establishing the U.S. Institute of Peace, an organization devoted to coming up with peaceful resolutions to international conflicts.
However, Vanderhye has said she believes she is the superior candidate because of her extensive background in the area that concerns 34th district residents the most — transportation. Vanderhye is an appointed member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Authority, and has subsequently spent much of the last few years working on ways to address Northern Virginia’s severe traffic problems.
The Virginia Democratic Primary election will take place on Tuesday, June 12 and all precinct locations will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. The winner of Tuesday’s election will run against Republican candidate Dave Hunt for the Virginia House of Delegates 34th District seat.