Gretchen Bulova, director of the Office of Historic Alexandria, won a decisive victory last night (Tuesday) in a firehouse Democratic primary for delegate of the 11th District.
Alexandria’s OHA director is now one step closer to fulfilling the delegate seat of her husband, David Bulova, who resigned last Friday after accepting an appointment in Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger’s administration. He spent 19 years in the House of Delegates.
Gretchen Bulova secured 47.7% of votes after some 1,188 votes were cast in the district, which encompasses some of Fairfax County and all of Fairfax City.
A special election for the 11th District seat is slated for Jan. 13, just a day before Virginia lawmakers will convene for the 60-day 2026 session. No Republican candidates have entered the race.
In addition to directing OHA, Gretchen Bulova is a longtime member of the Fairfax County Democratic Committee. According to Fairfax Democrats, her platform consists of cost-of-living affordability, bolstering funding for public schools and passing constitutional amendments “to protect choice, restore voter rights, and enshrine marriage equality.”
She ran against four other candidates: former Fairfax City Councilmember So Lim, America’s Voice Executive Director Vanessa Cardenas, Douglas Shuster, president of the Miller Heights Neighborhood Association and Denver Supinger, Del. Karrie Delaney (D-9)’s former chief of staff.
“We want to thank all of the candidates who threw their hats in the ring to be the next Delegate from the 11th District. We appreciate the voters who came on short notice to cast their ballot,” 11th HD District Chair Susan Weltz said in a press release. “We must now unite behind our Democratic nominee, Gretchen Bulova, and get her elected on January 13th to represent us in Richmond.”
David Bulova is slated to take over as Virginia’s next secretary of natural and historic resources following Spanberger’s move to the governor’s mansion.
