<bt>The election picture is coming into clearer view with the passing of Party deadlines to file for candidacy and the deadline for Independents approaching in June.
The reissued convention call by the Republican Party opened the door for two new entrants, George Hidy, who will challenge incumbent Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio for the Sterling District and Brian J. Withnell, who will face incumbent Gary Clemens for the Clerk of the Court nod.
For the Democrats, down-to-the-wire filings included Andrea McGimsey, who will run for the Potomac District supervisors seat currently occupied by Bruce Tulloch (R). There will not be a Democratic primary.
Incumbent Tom Reed announced his intentions seek re-election to the at-large School Board seat. Thus far, he is the second person to announce his candidacy for the School Board, which runs as Independents. Previously, Kevin Turner had said he will seek the Dulles District seat.
<sh>Reed Seeks Re-election
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School Board member Tom Reed (At large) announced his candidacy for re-election to the School Board Tuesday, May 8 under the slogan "Children First!"
"I want to continue working to improve the educational opportunities for all of our students. We must put ‘children first,’" he said.
Over the past seven and a half years on the School Board, Reed has been a promoter of full-day kindergarten and the expansion of foreign language programs throughout the county and the Advanced Technology Academy. Reed is the chair of the personnel services committee, a liaison with the Board of Supervisors and a member of the legislative policy committee. He is also a member of the Loudoun Education Foundation, technology steering committee and the Virginia School Boards Association delegate.
REED HAS THREE major goals for his next term, to improve opportunities for all children to achieve their educational potential in the school system; to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers and administrative staff; and to implement advanced technologies to improve instruction and operations.
"Over the past seven and a half years, I’ve voted many times on issues ranging from boundaries for new schools, policy changes, school construction and budgets," Reed said. "The interests of the children were always foremost in my mind. We’ve accomplished much, but the best is yet to come in Loudoun County Public Schools and I hope to continue to serve."
<sh>Hidy to Run Against Delgaudio
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Taking advantage of the new convention call issued by the Loudoun County Republican Committee, Sterling Park resident George Hidy announced last week that he will seek the Republican nomination for the Board of Supervisor’s Sterling seat.
"We have a special and unique community here in Sterling," Hidy said. "We are the first planned community in Loudoun."
Hidy said he did not file to run during the original convention call because he had heard the call would come in January 2007.
"When [the LCRC] changed it to December that only gave me 30 days to file," he said.
With a long family vacation planned and other family commitments, Hidy knew he would not be able to run, but when the convention call was reissued, he jumped.
"I decided to take a shot at this opportunity," he said.
HIDY SAID the Sterling District needs a true community representative to lead them on he Board of Supervisors.
"You have to have someone who is involved in the community," he said. "And that’s me."
As a member of the design committee for both the Claude Moore Recreation Center and the new Sterling sheriff’s substation, Hidy believes in reinvesting in the Sterling community, including the upgrading of area schools, improving ordinances such as the commercial vehicle ordinance, which Hidy said has made parts of Sterling look like a truck stop.
The new Sterling candidate also plans on focusing on public safety in his campaign, saying it is one of the biggest issues facing his community.
"People just don’t feel safe," he said. "I live in the Park and there are certain places I don’t go to after dark anymore."
With the county growing, crime is increasing and Hidy said he is tired of seeing people move out of the area because of the increasing crime rate.
"You have to have a certain number of sheriff's deputies on patrol," he said. "You have to pay for these things. You’ve got to look out into the future."
<sh>Withnell to Run
<bt>Brian J. Withnell announced his candidacy to run against Clerk of the Court Gary Clemens in the June 2007 election Sunday, after the Republican Party of Virginia forced the Loudoun County Republican Committee to reopen its candidate nomination process.