<sh>Gerry Connolly (D)
<bt>Residence: Mantua
Hometown: Boston, Mass.
Education: B.A. in Literature from Maryknoll College. M.A. in Public Administration from Harvard University
Work/Employment: Fairfax County Board of Supervisors - chairman, SAIC – director of community of relations
Other Elected Offices Held: Providence District Supervisor (1995-2003), Fairfax County chairman (2004-present)
Web site: www.gerryconnolly.com
<sh>Keith Fimian (R)
<bt>Residence: Oakton
Hometown: Virginia Beach
Education: Accounting degree from the College of William and Mary
Work/Employment: U.S. Inspect - Chairman/Founder
Web site: www.keithfimian.com
<sh>U.S. House of Representatives, Virginia’s 11th District
<bt>With Rep. Tom Davis stepping down, Fairfax County will see its first race for an open congressional seat in at least 16 years.
About one third of the 11th District is in Prince William County, but the other two-thirds is located in the City of Fairfax and Fairfax County — spanning parts of Vienna, Burke, Annandale, Springfield, and Lorton.
Democrats are optimistic about their prospects. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has indicated they are willing to devote a lot of resources to the race and several local legislative seats in this area have flipped from Republican to Democrat in recent years. Their candidate, Fairfax County chairman Gerry Connolly, has also held the top local elected office since 2003 and won by large margins in his last chairman’s race and the congressional primary in June.
Connolly said he has a track record of success in the public sector and that he wants to bring his "can do" attitude to the federal government. The chairman is a favor of ending the War in Iraq and has said, repeatedly, that "torture in not an American value." Connolly, who has pushed green policies on the local government level, said he also wants to become a national leader on environmental issues.
But Keith Fimian has raised an impressive amount of money, more than $1 million as of June 30. In a year of unusual candidates, he is also running as the outsider and emphasizes he is not a "career politician."
The Republican promotes his training as a certified public accountant and said he would focus on getting federal spending under control and reducing the national debt. Fimian tells voters he wants the United States to remain competitive in a global economy and is in favor of lower taxes.
<sh>Judy Feder (D)
<bt>Residence: McLean
Education: B.A. from Brandeis University, M.A. and Ph. D. from Harvard University
Work/Employment: Professor and former Dean of Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute
Web site: http//judyfeder.com
<sh>Frank Wolf (R)
<bt>Residence: Vienna
Education: B.A. from Pennsylvania State University, J.D. from Georgetown University
Work/Employment: U.S. House of Representatives
Web site: http://www.wolfforcongress.com
<sh>U.S. House of Representatives, 10th District
<bt>Rep. Frank Wolf and Health Care expert Judy Feder will square off for the second time Nov. 4.
Feder also challenged Wolf in 2006 but lost by 16 points in Virginia’s 10th District, which extends into McLean, Great Falls, Herndon and Centreville in Fairfax County. The congressional seat also includes portions of Clarke County, Frederick County, Loudoun County, Warren County, City of Manassas and the City of Winchester.
Wolf has been a strong advocate of the Metro rail extension through the Dulles corridor and has promoted a "SAFE commission" — a study to look at how the United States government can tackle its social security, Medicare, Medicaid and the national debt. The congressman has also been an advocate for human rights issues around the world.
A national health care expert, Feder wants to find a way to provide every American with health care coverage. She has also advocated an end to the War in Iraq and extending Metro rail to Dulles airport and beyond.
<sh>Jim Moran (D)
<sh>Mark Ellmore (R)
<sh>U.S. House of Representatives, 8th District
<bt>Alexandria native and Republican Mark Ellmore will take on 18-year incumbent Jim Moran in the upcoming general election Nov. 4.
Moran has represented Virgina’s 8th congressional district — which spans Alexandria, Arlington and Reston — since 1991. The district traditionally leans Democratic, having give Moran nearly 60 percent of the vote in 2004.
Moran is considered to be one of the more socially liberal members of the U.S. Congress. Earlier this year, he joined the congressional Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender caucus to advocate for the rights of same sex couples. He also has been a strong opponent of the War in Iraq since its outset, having voted against its original authorization.
Ellmore advocates lower taxes and has come out in favor of putting a fence along the U.S./Mexican border to help deal with the issue of illegal immigration. Ellmore said the United States should open more of its land and offshore area up to drilling for oil. He also supports using more nuclear power plants and "clean" coal technologies to provide more energy.
For more information on the candidates, visit their Web sites – www.markellmore08.com and www.jimmoran.org.