The Connection

Unofficial Election Results As of Monday, Nov. 14

Source: http://results.elections.virginia.gov/

President

Virginia Results

Hillary Clinton (D) 1,968,213 49.63%

Donald J. Trump (R) 1,765,599 44.53%

Gary Johnson (L) 118,464 2.99%

Evan McMullin (I) 53,877 1.36%

Jill Stein (G) 27,572 0.70%

Arlington County Results

Hillary Clinton (D) 91,879 75.78%

Donald J. Trump (R) 20,155 16.62%

Gary Johnson (L) 3,816 3.15%

Evan McMullin (I) 2,586 2.13%

Jill Stein (G) 908 0.75%

U.S. Congress

Member House of Representatives (08)

Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D) 245,480 68.3%

Charles A. Hernick (R) 98,211 27.33%

Julio Gracia (I) 14,636 4.07%

“The win, because it means that the GOP will control the executive and both houses of Congress, almost surely means the next Congress will act on major tax legislation focused on cutting rates.” — Frank Shafroth, director, Center for State and Local Government Leadership

Arlington County maintained its Democratic leaning in the Nov. 8 election. Hillary Clinton (D) won Arlington’s vote by 75 percent, though the candidate ultimately lost the national election. In the local races, every candidate seeking re-election won their race. Incumbent U.S. Rep. Donald Beyer (D) won 70 percent of Arlington’s vote to represent Virginia’s 8th District while County Board Chair Libby Garvey (D) won with 70 percent of Arlington’s vote. For the school board, incumbent School Board member Nancy Van Doren and newcomer Tannia Talento were both elected without contest. Arlington also voted at roughly 75 percent to support bonds for Metro, schools, parks, and local infrastructure.

In the congressional election, Beyer won with 68 percent of the vote, while his Republican challenger Charles Hernick won 27 percent.

“I was pleased to get through another race with talking about the issues without anybody attacking each other,” said Beyer, praising Hernick and independent Julio Gracia. “We need more races like this.”

Beyer said he was very pleased to see how overwhelmingly Alexandria and Arlington had supported Clinton. Over the next few years, Beyer said he plans to continue working on building relationships and working on legislation with his Republican peers.

“There were a lot of variables I could not control in this election,” said Hernick. “It was a good campaign, proud of the issues we focused on. Overall, happy with the results. This was my first jump into the political arena, not my last.”

After the race, Hernick said he plans to visit family and joked he plans on taking a quick vacation to Puerto Rico to down the post-election blues in rum.

“No one here’s feeling bad tonight,” said Hernick. “Everyone’s proud of what we did. I knew what the odds were, but it’s worth challenging that.”

After the election, Hernick said he hopes to see Beyer continue to work on corporate tax reform and that he hopes Beyer will find a way to work with the states to combat climate change.

According to Frank Shafroth, director of the Center for State and Local Government Leadership, the big win for Republicans could mean substantial changes for the country.

“The win, because it means that the GOP will control the executive and both houses of Congress, almost surely means the next Congress will act on major tax legislation focused on cutting rates,” said Shafroth in an email. “Moreover, major tax reform has been a key priority for Speaker Ryan. So we should expect to see proposals to significantly reduce rates on individuals and businesses — likely the most profound tax reform package since the 1986 tax reform legislation. I would guess it will be the most significant, early bill signed into law by the new President.”

According to Shafroth, changes to tax laws could have a major impact, and add a major burden, to localities.

“The issue, as it was from 1984-1986, for state and local leaders will hinge on how such sharp reductions in ordinary and capital gains tax rates are offset or paid for,” said Shafroth. “With federal tax expenditures the largest and fastest growing part of the federal budget — and with little chance of gaining revenues from any reductions in Medicare or Medicaid, it would seem likely, as with former President Reagan, that the deductibility of state and local taxes and municipal bonds will be items on the “pay-for” options menu. The federal deficit, after all, in the last fiscal year, grew by more than 25 percent over last year to $587 billion. With Americans living longer than any previous generation, and, thus, Medicare and Social Security going up — there will be a big squeeze .... Because the House spending plan… would reduce individual and corporate tax rates, however, one should anticipate that cities, counties, states, and schools, even if bonds were not legislatively changed, would be forced to offer higher interest rates. Yet, because of the President-elect’s vow to rebuild America, and the federal government’s increasing inability to afford rebuilding America, it would seem there is already implicit recognition that the actual rebuilding will have to be accomplished by state and local governments.”