Elections | ALXnow

Second firehouse primary scheduled next week as Del. Bennett-Parker runs for State Senate

Published January 16, 2026 at 9:15AM | Updated January 16, 2026 at 12:03PM

Virginia Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5th) at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus ribbon cutting, Feb. 28, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Fresh from her firehouse Democratic primary win for a State Senate seat, Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) has announced her resignation from the House of Delegates.

The resignation will go into effect Feb. 18, Bennett-Parker said in an email yesterday (Thursday). The delegate won the firehouse primary for the 39th District State Senate in the early morning hours on Wednesday. Now, another firehouse primary to fill her 5th District seat has been scheduled for next Tuesday, as of late Friday morning.

News

Councilman McPike, former School Board member plan to run for Bennett-Parker’s delegate seat

By James Cullum

Published January 14, 2026 at 2:00PM | Updated January 15, 2026 at 10:51AM

Cameron Station voting precinct just before 6 a.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

At least two well-known Alexandria Democrats are interested in running for Elizabeth Bennett-Parker’s 5th District seat in the House of Delegates, following her firehouse primary win last night.

City Councilman R. Kirk McPike and former Alexandria City School Board Member Eileen Cassidy Rivera have confirmed to ALXnow they intend to run to fill Bennett-Parker’s 5th District seat, which she has held since 2021. They have also each published campaign websites.

News

Alexandria Republicans announce state Senate candidate for February special election

By Katie Taranto

Published January 13, 2026 at 11:45AM | Updated January 14, 2026 at 12:20PM

Julie Robben Lineberry (courtesy of the Arlington GOP)

The Alexandria Republican City Committee has selected a candidate to compete in February’s special election to replace Sen. Adam Ebbin (D).

Realtor Julie Robben Lineberry will serve as the party’s candidate in the 39th Senate District, according to a mass email sent this morning (Tuesday) by Arlington GOP Chair Matthew Hurtt.

News

Political domino effect hits Alexandria as Sen. Ebbin resigns to join Spanberger administration

By James Cullum

Published January 7, 2026 at 9:20PM | Updated January 7, 2026 at 9:45PM

State Sen. Adam Ebbin speaks at the No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, June 14, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Rumors in Alexandria have finally been confirmed as State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-39) announced Wednesday night that he will be resigning to join Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger’s administration.

Ebbin will be the senior advisor at the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority, according to a press release, and his resignation will go into effect Feb. 18. Soon after Ebbin’s announcement, Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D-5) and former Del. Mark Levine (D-45) announced their intention to run for Ebbin’s seat.

News

Alexandria Democrats reorganize with new leadership during first meeting of 2026

By James Cullum

Published January 6, 2026 at 3:45PM

The Alexandria Democratic Committee elected new leadership at its first meeting of the year, Jan. 5, 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The Alexandria Democratic Committee voted in new leadership for two-year terms at its first organizational meeting of the year last night (Monday).

Longtime ADC member and former journalist Jon DeNunzio ran unopposed to succeed outgoing Chair Sandy Marks. He and more than a dozen ADC leadership positions were approved by members at the meeting, which was held in the cafeteria of Alexandria City High School’s King Street campus.

News

Office of Historic Alexandria director wins primary for Va. House seat in Fairfax

By Katie Taranto

Published December 17, 2025 at 10:30AM

Gretchen Bulova, director of the Office of Historic Alexandria at the Scottish Christmas Walk Parade in Old Town, Dec. 6, 2024 (staff photo by James Cullum)

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.

News

Sandy Marks, chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee, won’t seek reelection

By James Cullum

Published November 5, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated November 5, 2025 at 6:24PM

ADC Chair Sandy Marks speaks at the No Kings Rally at Market Square in Old Town, June 14, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

The day after Election Day, Sandy Marks said she felt good, satisfied and tired.

It’s been nearly four years since Marks was elected chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee. After working for months to get Alexandria’s politicians reelected and help secure last night’s statewide Democratic wins, Marks is riding off into the proverbial sunset by stepping down and not seeking a third two-year term.

News

UPDATED: Over half of Alexandria voters have cast ballots

By Katie Taranto

Published November 4, 2025 at 3:45PM | Updated November 4, 2025 at 4:34PM

Voters at the Mount Vernon Recreation Center on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

This story has been updated to reflect new information from the General Registrar at 4:27 p.m.

As of 4 p.m. today (Tuesday), about 53.4% of registered voters in Alexandria had cast ballots in the general election, according to the city’s top elections official.

News

Federal shutdown and governor’s race on Alexandria voters’ minds this Election Day

By Katie Taranto and James Cullum

Published November 4, 2025 at 11:30AM

Voters at Mount Vernon Recreation Center in Del Ray on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

As Alexandria voters shuffled to the polls this morning (Tuesday), many said they were casting ballots motivated by the government shutdown and their views on the Trump administration.

At precincts in Old Town, Mount Vernon and near Seminary Hill/Landmark, several voters lamented the shutdown and told ALXnow they do not like the political direction the country is turning toward — a sentiment fueling their ballot box decisions, particularly in Virginia’s gubernatorial election.

News

Ghazala Hashmi talks to Del Ray business owners in last-minute campaign stop

By James Cullum

Published November 3, 2025 at 2:45PM

Virginia's Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Ghazala Hashmi meets Amy Eggers, owner of Stardust Vintage and Gift in Del Ray, Nov. 3, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

State Sen. Ghazala Hashmi spoke with small business owners in Del Ray during a last-minute campaign stop today (Monday) as she vies to be Virginia’s next lieutenant governor.

Joined by State Sen. Adam Ebbin, (D-39), the Democratic candidate made appearances at Tops of Old Town, St. Elmo’s Coffee Pub, Stardust Vintage and Gift and others along Mount Vernon Avenue. There, she heard business owners’ concerns and lamented the effects of federal layoffs and the government shutdown in Northern Virginia.

News

Who is on the ballot and where to vote in Alexandria on Election Day tomorrow

By Katie Taranto

Published November 3, 2025 at 1:45PM

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

Races for governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and members of the House of Delegates are all on the ballot in Alexandria tomorrow.

The city’s voters are also poised to re-elect incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter and Sheriff Sean Casey, both of whom are running unopposed.