Over 350 people gathered at the Clifton Town Meeting Hall Sunday, March 25 to say "goodbye" and "hello."
People said "goodbye" and "thank you" to Supervisor Elaine McConnell (R-Springfield), who announced that she was not seeking reelection to her seat on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Come November, McConnell will have served 24 years on the board. Then-Chairman John "Jack" Herrity (R) coaxed her into running for the position.
On Sunday, people also said "hello" to the former chairman's son Pat Herrity, as he officially announced that he would be running for McConnell's empty seat. He will face off against Stan Reid in the June 12 Republican primary.
Supporters and well-wishers packed the Town Meeting Hall, with the crowd flowing out into the parking lot. Among the local Republicans who made an appearance or spoke were U.S. Rep. Tom Davis (11); State Sen. Jay O'Brien (37); Del. David Albo (41); Supervisors Michael Frey (Sully) and Joan DuBois (Dranesville); and Clerk of the Court John Frey.
Mayor Tom Peterson and his wife Jean welcomed Herrity and his supporters to the Town of Clifton. Also present were former Mayor Jim Chesley and Elizabeth Schultz of the Republican Women of Clifton.
Speakers took turns praising McConnell for her long service to the Springfield District, noting her support of the local police and her diligence in having needed roads built (Fairfax County Parkway) and the widening of others (Route 123). They credited her with introducing the concept of the Virginia Railway Express to Northern Virginia and supporting it through its current success.
When it was her turn to speak, McConnell stood with microphone in hand, leaning on a cane. "It's sad to leave a job I've had for 24 years," she said, adding that she didn't want to leave until she found someone that she could wholeheartedly support.
Asked how long she's known Pat Herrity, she chuckled and said: "All his life."
When McConnell was done, Herrity took the microphone and outlined his campaign. He identified transportation as the issue of greatest concern to Northern Virginians. A supporter of telework and HOT lanes, Herrity advocated finding new solutions to gridlock. He also spoke out against the higher taxes and the high cost of living in Fairfax, which makes moving out of the county a more attractive choice for some families.