Alfonso Lopez

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Spanberger signs Alexandria legislators’ bills on guns, immigration, national popular vote

By Emily Leayman
(Left to right) Virginia House Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring (D-4th), State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39th) and Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3rd) at the Alexandria Democratic Committee's Labor Day Picnic at The Garden Alexandria, 5380 Eisenhower Avenue, Sept. 1, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Numerous pieces of legislation from Alexandria lawmakers are officially set to become law or are heading back to the General Assembly with amendments after action by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).

Among the approximately 1,200 bills passed out of the 2026 session, legislation on guns, housing, the national popular vote, energy and immigration enforcement all came by way of state senators and delegates representing Alexandria. Most signed bills will take effect on July 1, 2026, unless otherwise specified.

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Va. education secretary, elected officials to make listening tour stop at ACHS

By James Cullum
Inside the new Alexandria City High School's Minnie Howard Campus, May 29, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Virginia Secretary of Education Jeffery O. Smith will stop at Alexandria City High School’s Minnie Howard Campus (3775 W. Braddock Road) on Wednesday night (April 8) as part of a statewide listening tour organized by the Virginia Department of Education.

Smith will be joined by Virginia’s Superintendent of Public Instruction Jenna Conway, House of Delegates Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring (D-4), Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3), and Alexandria City School Board members. The event at 6 p.m. is a stop on the statewide Commonwealth Listening Tour: Speak Up for Virginia’s Future. Registration is available for families seeking to attend.

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Spanberger rallies with Latino legislators in Del Ray ahead of Election Day next week

By James Cullum
Virginia's Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger speaks at Los Tios in Alexandria's Del Ray neighborhood, Oct. 30, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Virginia Democratic gubernatorial candidate Abigail Spanberger appeared in a “Latinos for Spanberger” rally today (Thursday) in Alexandria.

Spanberger spoke at a packed event at Los Tios (2615 Mount Vernon Avenue) in Del Ray, flanked by Latino legislators Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Del. Alfonso Lopez D-Virginia House District 3), and City Council Member Canek Aguirre. Spanberger has a 10-digit lead against her opponent, Lieutenant Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, according to a recent Roanoke College poll.

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PHOTOS: Market Square packed at ‘No Kings’ protest in Old Town

By James Cullum
The No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, Oct. 18, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

An audience of thousands held signs and cheered as Alexandria leaders decried the Trump administration at the second No Kings rally outside City Hall on Saturday.

The first No Kings rally was held in June, albeit against a different backdrop of issues. Today’s event was held amid a shuttered federal government, increased crackdowns from U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement, and federal troops occupying cities across the country. The speakers today in Alexandria included U.S. Rep. Don Beyer (D-8th), Mayor Alyia Gaskins, retired general Randy Mannor and Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3rd), all of whom railed against the administration, joining more than 2,700 similar demonstrations around the country.

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Early voting begins Sept. 19 in Alexandria for statewide races

By James Cullum
A voting sign at the Alexandria Registrar of Voters, 132 N. Royal Street, in Old Town (staff photo by James Cullum)

Early voting for November’s general election starts on Friday, Sept. 19, across Virginia. Here’s what you need to know in Alexandria.

Early voting starts 45 days before election day, and the only contested elections voters can decide on in Alexandria are for the Virginia governor, lieutenant governor, and attorney general.

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With just two Democratic races on the ballot, Alexandria’s early primary votes start trickling in

By James Cullum
'I voted' stickers on Election Day in Alexandria, Nov. 5, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

There are only 40 days left until the June 17 Democratic primary for Virginia lieutenant governor and attorney general, and early votes are trickling in in Alexandria.

Early voting started on May 2, and 7,309 mail-in ballots were sent to early voters, according Alexandria’s election dashboard. So far, 71 Alexandria residents have cast in-person ballots, and 19 have returned mail-in ballots.

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Northern Virginia state legislators criticize Gov. Youngkin’s handling of Potomac Yard arena

By James Cullum
(Left to right) Virginia Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39), Del. Charniele Herring (D-46), Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3) and Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-45) speak at the Chamber ALX Legislative Breakfast at the Hilton Old Town, March 21, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Virginia House Majority Leader Del. Charniele Herring (D-46) said that the $2 billion Potomac Yard arena deal is in no man’s land and that she doesn’t see a path forward for it.

Herring, who voted yes in the House of Delegates version of the arena bill last month, criticized Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s handling of the issue. She was joined this morning by members of Northern Virginia’s delegation to the General Assembly at the Chamber ALX’s legislative breakfast.

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Alexandria state senator and delegates hosting town hall next week ahead of legislative session

By Vernon Miles
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (center) with Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker and State Sen. Adam Ebbin outside Pork Barrel BBQ in Del Ray on election night, Nov. 7, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Before heading back down to Richmond in January, Alexandria’s state-level elected officials are hosting a townhall to hear from locals.

State Sen. Adam Ebbin, Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, Del. Charniele Herring and Del. Alfonso Lopez are hosting a pre-legislative town hall on Wednesday, Nov. 29, at 6:30 p.m. in Alexandria City Hall.

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ELECTION: Virginia Democrats win big in Alexandria

By James Cullum
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine (center) with Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker and State Sen. Adam Ebbin outside Pork Barrel BBQ in Del Ray on election night, Nov. 7, 2023 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Alexandria Democratic members of the Virginia’s General Assembly were swept back into office on election night.

There were no surprises from the unofficial election returns Tuesday night. Facing no opposition, Democratic incumbents Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (5th) was reelected to a second term with 21,622 votes, and Del. Charniele Herring (4th) was reelected to her eighth two-year term with 10,368 votes. Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-3rd) was also reelected with 81% (16,837 votes) and defeated independent candidate Major Mike Webb.

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