Charles Sumpter

BREAKING: Sandy Marks wins Democratic firehouse primary for City Council seat

Published February 21, 2026 at 10:55PM

Alexandria City Council candidate Sandy Marks (center) with her supporters outside the Leonard "Chick" Armstrong Recreation Center on the day of the Democratic firehouse primary, Feb. 21, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Former Alexandria Democratic Committee Chair Sandy Marks has won the Democratic firehouse primary for an open seat on City Council tonight (Saturday), beating four opponents to face independent candidate and former Republican councilman Frank Fannon in the special election.

Marks won with 1,573 votes (39.6%), against 947 votes for Tim Laderach (23.8%), 876 votes for Roberto Gomez (22%), 467 votes for Charles Sumpter (11.7%) and 112 votes for Cesar Madison Tapia (2.8%) out of the 3,975 ballots cast. From the time polls opened at 8:30 a.m. to closing at 7 p.m., the five candidates spent time at both polling locations: Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library (5005 Duke Street) and the Leonard “Chick” Armstrong Recreation Center (25 W. Reed Avenue).

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City Council candidates explain more policy stances in forum ahead of Democratic primary

By Katie Taranto

Published February 19, 2026 at 5:00PM

Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations hosts a City Council candidate forum (photo courtesy of James Minichello Photography)

Democratic candidates for Alexandria City Council shared their views on economic development, traffic and parking, housing growth and more during a forum last night (Wednesday).

The event was hosted by Alexandria Federation of Civic Associations at Immanuel Church on the Hill ahead of Saturday’s Democratic firehouse primary. About two dozen people turned out and several more attended via Zoom to the event, which was moderated by Bill Rossello, president of the Seminary Hill Association.

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City Council candidates spar in second debate before Democratic firehouse primary

By James Cullum

Published February 18, 2026 at 3:45PM

(Left to right) Independent City Council candidate Frank Fannon speaks alongside Democratic candidates Roberto Gomez, Tim Laderach, Sandy Marks, Charles Sumpter and Cesar Madison Tapia at the Departmental Progressive Club in Old Town, Feb. 17, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Sparks flew last night (Tuesday) as City Council candidates debated topics like immigration enforcement and budgeting at the Departmental Progressive Club in Old Town.

The event was hosted by DPC and the Alexandria branch of the NAACP, and it was the second debate in two days for the five Alexandria Democrats vying for their party’s nomination in the upcoming Feb. 21 firehouse primary. Independent candidate Frank Fannon, a former Republican member of City Council, also participated and received significant pushback from several candidates for his opinions on governance, housing and immigration.

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Candidates in City Council special election expected to appear in upcoming forum

By James Cullum

Published February 5, 2026 at 11:00AM | Updated February 5, 2026 at 6:32PM

Voting at Charles E. Beatley, Jr. Central Library in Alexandria's West End, Nov. 5, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

There’s a little more than two weeks left before the Alexandria Democratic Committee conducts a firehouse primary for an open seat on City Council.

Candidates are expected to appear at an upcoming ADC meeting as well as forum hosted by the Del Ray Business Association later this month. So far, five people are running for the seat to replace outgoing City Councilman R. Kirk McPike.

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Charles Sumpter announces campaign for City Council following bid for State Senate

By James Cullum

Published February 4, 2026 at 3:45PM | Updated February 4, 2026 at 5:10PM

Charles Sumpter (via Charles Sumpter/Facebook)

Charles Sumpter is entering the special election race for Alexandria City Council after participating in last month’s Democratic firehouse primary, where he lost competing for a State Senate seat in the 39th District.

Sumpter, 40, is a senior executive at World Wildlife Fund and helped found Safe Space NOVA, where he served as a member of the board. He has updated his campaign website, though his platform of issues has stayed the same: affordable housing, community-based mental health care and expanding workforce pathways for students.

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JUST IN: Bennett-Parker wins Democratic firehouse primary for State Senate seat

By James Cullum

Published January 14, 2026 at 2:35AM | Updated January 14, 2026 at 8:35AM

Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker speaks to a voter outside Charles Houston Recreation Center in Old Town, across from opponent, former Del. Mark Levine, with his dog, Falafel, on his left shoulder, on the day of the firehouse primary for Virginia's 39th Senate District, Jan. 13, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) has been declared the winner in a firehouse primary for Virginia’s 39th District Senate seat, defeating three opponents with 70.6% of the 4,647 ballots cast.

Bennett Parker received 3,281 votes, followed by former Del. Mark Levine with 807 votes (17.4%), Charles Sumpter with 321 votes (6.9%) and former Vice Mayor Amy Jackson with 238 votes (5.1%), according to ballots counted by the Alexandria Democratic Committee.

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Firehouse primary candidates attend only forum in Alexandria before endorsement vote

By Katie Taranto

Published January 12, 2026 at 10:00PM | Updated January 12, 2026 at 10:30PM

(Left to right) Moderator Michael Lee Pope, Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5), Charles Sumpter and former Del Mark Levine (D-45) at a debate for Virginia’s 39th Senate District at Charles Houston Recreation Center, Jan. 12, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Democratic candidates in tomorrow’s 39th District firehouse primary fielded several questions during a packed public forum tonight (Monday), with topics ranging from the primary’s scheduling to affordability, right-to-work and more.

Del. Elizabeth Bennet-Parker (D-5), former Del. Mark Levine (D-45) and Charles Sumpter participated in the forum at the Charles Houston Recreation Center, while former Vice Mayor Amy Jackson was unable to attend.

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Democratic candidates in 39th District primary to debate tonight ahead of Tuesday polling

By James Cullum

Published January 12, 2026 at 3:45PM

There's a firehouse primary for Virginia's 39th senate district on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026 (via ADC/Facebook)

Four candidates made the 4 p.m. filing deadline Sunday to participate in Tuesday’s firehouse Democratic primary for Virginia’s 39th senate district.

Democratic candidates who paid the $360 fee to meet the Alexandria Democratic Committee’s filing deadline were Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5), former Del. Mark Levine (D-45), former Alexandria Vice Mayor Amy Jackson and World Wildlife Fund senior executive Charles Sumpter.