(Updated at 4:45 on Nov. 3) Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker declared victory in her bid for Virginia’s 45th District House seat on Tuesday, defeating Republican opponent Justin “J.D.” Maddox.
“I’m honored to be the Delegate-elect for the 45th District,” Bennett-Parker told ALXnow. “Thank you to every voter who put their faith in me. I got into this race to continue delivering for our community.”
She continued, “I will always strive to ensure that our Commonwealth is an equitable and inclusive place for all.”
Bennett-Parker said that she did not speak with Maddox, who conceded via an email to supporters on Tuesday night. She won a resounding victory, garnering 73% (25,787 votes) of the votes in the District versus Maddox’s 27% (9,489 votes), with 26 of 32 districts reporting.
“While I am let down by the results of this election, I am encouraged by the strong signal of support for the moderate position that I championed throughout the campaign,” Maddox wrote. “It has become clear to me that voters in District 45, and much more widely, are eager for movement toward the center, and are disheartened by the extreme partisanship they’re hearing from both sides.”
According to city records, there were 24,207 absentee votes filed before election day, or around 25% of the 96,302 active registered voters in Alexandria.
Bennett-Parker defeated incumbent Democrat Mark Levine in the June primary. She began her political career three years ago, winning Alexandria’s vice mayorship in her first-ever campaign for office.
She will be sworn into office in January.
James Cullum and Vernon Miles contributed to this story.
What a hot week in Alexandria.
With temperatures hovering in the mid-90s, the week started with a power outage at a 17-story apartment building in Landmark area. The outage lasted five days and residents had to find accommodations until the building reopened Friday afternoon.
On the coronavirus front, Alexandria experienced a slight uptick, and the health department says unvaccinated residents account for a majority of new cases. There have been 39 new cases reported so far this month in the city, and 13 cases were reported on July 9. That was the biggest single-day jump since May 20, when 18 new cases were reported.
In school news, this week we spoke with Alexandria High School Principal Peter Balas, who said that his staff are ready to fully reopen for full-time in-person instruction when the 2021-2022 school year starts on August 24.
Important stories
- Chef Justus Frank is focusing on family with Elo’s Italian Pop-Up in Del Ray
- Mayor pushes for state-level building safety reform after Florida disaster
- Bilingual Montessori prechool to open in Rosemont church
- RiverRenew construction throughout Old Town to start this fall
- ARHA documents outline affordable housing organization’s shift toward rental-assistance
- Alexandria Drive-In to be discontinued after ‘Shrek’ this weekend
- Hotel Indigo in Old Town seeks to open private garage to waterfront visitors
- Planning Commission to review turning Old Town parking garage into townhouses
- Former chef at ‘The Alexandrian’ opening new restaurant in Arlandria on Monday
- Developers eye Beauregard redevelopment with West End upgrades on the horizon
- New city health improvement plan aims to fix inequities
Top stories
- Here’s the plan for Alexandria’s birthday celebration this weekend
- City Council approves massive high-rise project without affordable housing near Eisenhower Metro station
- ‘Call Your Mother Deli’ signs lease in Old Town
- Del. Mark Levine raises eyebrows with letter that passes buck on constituent service
- Shortened Alexandria Birthday celebration is still on for July 10
- Alexandria City High School is ready to reopen at full capacity next month, principal says
- School Board Member Jacinta Greene faces reelection, wants race relations taught in ACPS
- Tropical Storm Elsa’s dregs tear through southern Alexandria
- Poll: Do you agree with reallocation of school resource officer funding?
- West End high-rise apartment building evacuated after power outage
- The Alexandria Police, Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department all want raises
Have a safe weekend!
Delegate Mark Levine says a recent letter to a constituent has been taken out of context, and that his office is still helping 45th District residents deal with unemployment and other issues with state agencies.
In the June letter, Levine apologized to a constituent and said his recent election loss limited his ability to help with issues related to the Virginia Employment Commission.
“Unfortunately, due to my loss in the June 8, 2021 primary, our office will be unable to help you much,” Levine wrote. “Fortunately, your State Senator Adam Ebbin is in a strong position to help you.”
Levine continued, “I sincerely regret that our office will be unable to help you further. I’ve tried hard to reform the VEC, but the voters chose another representative to do future work on this.”
A portion of the note was tweeted out on Wednesday night by Ben Tribbett, the writer of the Not Larry Sabato blog. In the post, Tribbett noted that Levine is still in office until January, despite losing both the Democratic primary for the lieutenant governorship and his seat, which he lost to Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker.
Levine told ALXnow that he was working without staff when he wrote the letter, and that Ebbin, whose 30th Senate District includes the 45th House District, is better situated to help. He also said he worked with the constituent for a long time without getting a resulting answer from VEC.
Ebbin, who is also vice chair of the Commission on Virginia Employment Commission, said he was surprised to see the tweet.
“I think the VEC is equally responsive to legislators, but we try and help all our constituents, regardless of the agency and continue to do so,” Ebbin said. “I think that all legislators ought to be helpful in delivering constituent service. I’m happy to help any my constituents and his constituents happen to live in my district, so we’re not going to pass the buck. We’re just going to help people.”
Levine said VEC is a dysfunctional mess, and that he has since hired a staffer to help with constituent matters.
“This was while I was without staff to have people continue to get the help they need, and I was passing them to Adam,” Levine said. “I was simply telling constituents where they can get the most influence.”
Looks like @DelegateMark is looking to win a prize for the biggest ass in the legislature. He’s pulling a state paycheck until January and this is what he sends out to constituents who need his help. pic.twitter.com/TPeKucWW9Y
— Ben Tribbett (@notlarrysabato) July 8, 2021
What was an intense week in Alexandria. Here is the rundown.
History was made, as the new marquees at Alexandria City High School and Naomi L. Brooks Elementary Schools were unveiled this week, and the name changes to T.C. Williams High School and Matthew Maury Elementary School will go into effect July 1. It’s a victory for civil rights, as the namesakes of both old schools had backgrounds steeped in racism. Maury was a Confederate leader and Williams was an ACPS superintendent who worked intently against racial integration.
City Manager Mark Jinks on Tuesday also announced his intention to retire at the end of the year. Jinks, who made the announcement to City Council, hinted to ALXnow last month that he was seeking retirement. Today (Friday, June 25) is also the last day for retiring Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown, who will be moving to the West Coast to deal with family matters. Assistant Chief Don Hayes is taking over as acting chief until a national search narrows down a preferred candidate for the job.
Law enforcement events also dominated this week’s coverage. On Tuesday, first responders saved a woman experiencing a mental health crisis who was dangling perilously off the Monroe Avenue Bridge, followed by news Wednesday that a suspect was arrested for a West End murder along with 16 others in a massive racketeering conspiracy. On Thursday, a barricade situation in the West End ended peacefully.
In this week’s poll, when asked whether transit improvements would make residents more likely to take the bus, 48% said they don’t take the bus often and won’t likely change their habits; 38% said they don’t often take the bus, although transit improvements might change that; and 14% said that they already frequent the Metro and DASH bus systems.
Important stories
- After dual election losses, Mark Levine says he’s deciding his next move
- T.C. Williams High School track stars win big at state championships
- Lee-Fendall House raises over $5,000 to repair collapsed 200-year-old wall
- After more delays, Halal slaughterhouse owner now says he will open in July
- Alexandria songwriter Mia Humphrey wants to take you on an emotional journey
- Old Town and Del Ray business rivals battle for supremacy in softball game
- Alexandria City Public Schools scraps recreation center classroom plans
- Parker-Gray tiny lot home moves forward with some unique challenges
- Researchers call out shoddy craftsmanship in buried 18th century Alexandria ship
Top stories
- Alexandria woman dies after veering off road on Interstate 95
- Man suspected of raping 12-year-old stepdaughter in Landmark area flees to El Salvador
- JUST IN: Thieves break into more than 60 vehicles in West End
- JUST IN: Rarity as American Viper Rattlesnake found in Old Town
- Massive redevelopment of West End apartment building has neighbors worried about street parking impact
- UPDATE: Alexandria first responders save suicidal woman on Monroe Avenue Bridge
- City Council emphasizes marketing funding for Alexandria’s ‘Hot Girl Summer’
- Mother and boyfriend allegedly beaten by knife-wielding ex in Old Town North
- With eviction moratorium expiring, city pushes renters and landlords toward rental assistance
- Shortened Alexandria Birthday celebration is still on for July 10
- BREAKING: California man arrested for West End murder, indicted with 16 others in massive racketeering conspiracy
Have a safe weekend!
Council defers on School Resource Officer funding reallocation — “On Tuesday, Alexandria City Council deferred a decision on releasing funding for school resource officers for other positions at Alexandria City Public Schools. The decision is scheduled for a July 6 public hearing.” [Patch]
Levine agrees to pay for primary mailer on House letterhead — “Levine, who lost both his primary contests, said in an interview he saw the mailing as an “informational letter” explaining the unique circumstances of why he was appearing on the ballot twice. He said he still doesn’t think it clearly qualified as campaign advertising, but agreed to reimburse the clerk’s office to clear up the matter after others complained.” [Virginia Mercury]
Paving wrapping up on Commonwealth Avenue — “Commonwealth Ave should be finished by the end of the week (striping and speed cushions to follow) Paving continues on West Glebe Rd.” [Twitter]
Injured Titan soccer player makes $5,000 GoFundMe goal — “Mahmoud is a goalie and was playing a soccer game when he collided with someone, he got 2 fractures in the lower jaw, dislocated TM joint, and he lost 2 teeth with damaged gums. The surgical procedure required 6 screws and wiring to hold the jaw together, he won’t be able to eat or talk for 6 weeks to heal. The donation would help a lot with the medical bills.” [GoFundMe]
Alexandria Aces return — “The COVID-19 pandemic may have resulted in empty stands and untouched uniforms last year, but the Alexandria Aces are finally back for their 13th season in the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball League – with a few adjustments.” [Alex Times]
Today’s weather — “Intervals of clouds and sunshine (during the day). High 83F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph… Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.” [Weather.com]
New job: Multiple positions available at the Chart House — “$500 Sign-On Bonus – $100 once training is complete and $100 every 30 days for 4 months. This isn’t just your next job – it’s your opportunity to be part of an amazing team that delivers on our promise to meet and exceed our guest’s experience the moment they walk through our doors!” [Indeed]
Delegate Mark Levine isn’t out of the politics game yet, but he’s keeping his cards close and still hasn’t made up his mind about next moves.
It’s been weeks since Levine lost the Democratic nomination for both seats he sought in the June 8 primary, as Del. Hala Ayala won the lieutenant governor’s primary race and Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker won the nomination for his Delegate seat for the 45th District.
“I’m not gonna rush into doing anything,” Levine told ALXnow. “I don’t think that’s the right thing to do, I’m gonna take some time and figure out what my next steps are.”
Levine left a message recently with his House opponent Alexandria Vice Mayor Bennett-Parker, and says he has offered her information on constituent services and congratulated her for the win.
Levine says he still plans to watch the City’s birthday celebration from his home near the waterfront in Old Town, but that unlike years past this time will not be a fundraiser.
“I’m not done doing whatever I can to help improve this world, that’s for sure,” he said. “Which path I will take remains to be seen.”
Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker prevailed in her quest Tuesday night for the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 45th District, defeating incumbent Del. Mark Levine, who as of this writing was also down in his race for lieutenant governor.
“I’m honored to be the Democratic nominee for the 45th District,” Bennett-Parker said in a statement. “Thank you for your votes; I look forward to working with all of the Democratic nominees to win in November, and to representing all of HD-45 in Richmond.”
Bennett-Parker did not receive a call from Levine, who could not be reached for comment. As of 9 p.m., she led 7,186 votes to Levine’s 5,148 votes, with 21 of 26 precincts reporting.
“Special thanks to our incredible team of volunteers who made phone calls, knocked on doors, talked to your neighbors, and handed out campaign literature,” Bennett-Parker said. “This is a grassroots campaign, and I could not have done this without you.”
With 2,354 of 2,584 precincts reporting, Levine also received just 11.11% of the vote for lieutenant governor, falling way behind the leader in that race Del. Hala Ayala (D-51).
Bennett-Parker’s campaign manager Alice Visocchi said that her candidate’s lead was insurmountable.
“With 21 of 26 precincts reporting, we’re up 58.26% to Mark Levine’s 41.74%,” Visocchi said. “I think it’s done.”
A political newcomer going into her election as vice mayor three years ago, Bennett-Parker said she is running to improve the environment and help area families struggling with the pandemic. A Democrat, she is the first person to announce a run for the seat.
Bennett-Parker grew up in Alexandria and lives with her husband and grandmother in the city’s Rosemont neighborhood. She is also the co-director of the nonprofit Together We Bake. Bennett-Parker has not been an outspoken member of council, and is known for heavily researching topics before coming to decisions. A Fulbright Fellow, she has a Master’s degree in anthropology from the University of London and a history degree from Cornell University.
I've seen enough: Elizabeth Bennett-Parker (D) defeats Del. Mark Levine (D) in #HD45. Levine loses both the race for LG and his own delegate seat in one day (sorry, this is my home district).
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) June 8, 2021
James Cullum and Vernon Miles contributed to this report
What a week in Alexandria. Here’s the rundown.
Our top story was on President Joe Biden stopping by the Sportrock Climbing Center in Alexandria last Friday with First Lady Jill Biden and Governor Ralph Northam.
Seeing the president around town is getting to be a regular thing. The president, who also visited in April, discussed “the state’s progress against the coronavirus pandemic” and the celebration of “summer as Virginia lifts all COVID-19 distancing and capacity restrictions.”
This week, we also followed up on a New York Times report about the Virginia Theological Seminary making reparations payments to slavery descendants. The program was launched in 2019, and the school issued $2,100 in annual payments to 15 families in February.
On Wednesday, the Fire Department released its restructuring plan, which goes into effect June 12, and is intended to help emergency response times by shifting resources. AFD will conduct community conversations on the restructuring on Saturday, June 5, at 10 a.m.; Monday, June 7, at 2 p.m. and Thursday, June 10, at 7 p.m.
Closing the short workweek, on Friday Alexandria Police Chief Michael Brown announced that his retirement. Brown’s last day is June 25, and the City Manager is soon expected to name an acting chief to lead the department while the city’s undergoes a national search for a permanent replacement.
Election stories
- Bennett-Parker says Levine mailer on Commonwealth of Virginia letterhead is ethics breach
- Wilson keeps fundraising lead over Silberberg in mayoral primary, McPike leads City Council candidates
- City Council candidate thinks divisive local issues are Republican comeback opportunity
- Former City Council member Willie Bailey announces bid for School Board
Important stories
- A rare glimpse inside Alexandria’s abandoned and overgrown GenOn power plant
- Virginia Theological Seminary is making reparation payments to slavery descendants
- Alexandria military veterans honored on Memorial Day
- Alexandria brings back summer cooling and senior care program
- Police investigate Old Town hit and run
- Woman arrested in Braddock for attacking father of her child with pepper spray and a knife
- Driver in stolen U-Haul pickup truck successfully eludes Virginia State Police
- Alexandria Jail slowly lifting COVID restrictions, in-person attorney visitation for inmates resumes
- Mayor releases figures for ongoing eviction crisis in Alexandria
- ‘Rock It Grill’ eyeing karaoke expansion, bringing back Halloween party
Top stories
- UPDATED: President Biden and Gov. Northam visited Alexandria this morning
- JUST IN: Virginia State Police chase U-Haul pickup truck through Alexandria
- Bennett-Parker says Levine mailer on Commonwealth of Virginia letterhead is ethics breach
- Goodie’s Frozen Custard & Treats opens in Old Town
- Hank & Mitzi’s Italian Kitchen closes for the foreseeable future in Old Town North
- Volunteers needed this weekend to help clear dangerous stretch of Mount Vernon Trail
- Wilson and Silberberg mayoral debate finale opens possibility of ‘tweaking’ Seminary Road Diet
- Homegrown Restaurant Group gives employees raise to $15 an hour, will ease COVID restrictions at 6 restaurants
- ‘Rock It Grill’ eyeing karaoke expansion, bringing back Halloween party
- Here’s the order that City Council candidates will appear on the ballot for the June 8 democratic primary
- Ownership of Landmark’s streets could make a big difference down the road
Photo via White House/Twitter
An annual mailer from Del. Mark Levine to Democratic voters in the 45th District has his opponent, Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, raising concerns of an ethical breach of conduct.
Levine is running for lieutenant governor and his seat in the 45th District. The 17-page annual update is written on Commonwealth of Virginia letterhead, and asks for support in the upcoming June 8 Democratic primary. The letter also includes his campaign websites markfordelegate.com and levineforvirginia.com, but not a disclaimer stating that it was paid for by his campaign.
“I’m deeply disappointed in Del. Levine, and his decision to use taxpayer resources to campaign for two offices,” Bennett-Parker said. “The voters of this district deserve better. They deserve a delegate committed to a high ethical standard, and they deserve a delegate focused solely on this community – not someone who views our district as a backup plan. I look forward to getting to work in Richmond to expand access to health care, build our economy back better for all, provide equitable educational opportunities for all students, and fight the impacts of climate change.”
In the letter, Levine mentions both races he’s running for and asks for support.
“Early voting in the Democratic primary began on April 23rd and Primary Election Day is June 8th,” Levine wrote in the letter. “As noted, I am running for Lieutenant Governor and will be on the Democratic primary ballot for both the Lieutenant Governor position and the 45th District Delegate nominations. I’d appreciate your support.”
Levine continues, “Thank you for believing in me and supporting me. I hope you are as pleased as I am about the results of the historic 2020 and 2021 legisla(tive) sessions, even if you didn’t agree with every vote I cast and even if you, like me, wish we had gone a bit farther. I know who my boss is. It’s you. And that’s why my team and I work so hard.”
The Virginia Department of Elections has not yet received any complaints concerning constituent mailers from Levine. The VDOE said that suspected campaign violations should be reported to local authorities and commonwealth attorneys, and that ethics violations should be reported to the Virginia Conflict of Interest and Ethics Council.
“It’s not a campaign mailer at all,” Levine told ALXnow. “It’s about my delegate work, it’s about my bills. If you want to read my 20 page letter from last year, it also mentions my website. My website has a lot of information on it. It’s got coronavirus information, and, yeah, it also has a donate button on it. I think every delegate mentioned their website, and I don’t know anyone who hasn’t in their (annual constituent) letter.”
State Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30th), who has endorsed Bennett-Parker, said that Levine’s mailer crosses an ethical boundary. He also said that he’s inquiring about a potential ethics breach with the legal counsel on the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, a body on which he is a member.
“If it’s not illegal, it should be,” Ebbin said. “It just doesn’t look right. It doesn’t feel right to be putting on official state letterhead, a message that says that you’re on the ballot twice and that you’re appreciating people’s votes for two offices, you know, even though he put on that first page it says this is not a political mailer and then he says, You can vote for me twice and explains why he wants people to vote for him twice in the circumstances that came to be. That’s just not appropriate.
Delegates receive $750 for constituent postage every year, and Levine said that he paid for the mailing and that many delegates include their campaign websites in annual letters to constituents. The House Clerk has invoiced Levine for the mailer.
“No taxpayers paid for it and I sent it to the same number I sent last year,” he said. “A lot of people in the 45th.”
At a debate Monday night, Delegate Mark Levine couldn’t think of any policy differences between his opponent, Alexandria Vice Mayor Elizabeth Bennett-Parker.
“I’m not sure there are any,” Levine told Alexandria and Arlington Democrats in a Zoom debate.
Levine wants voters to check his name twice on the ballot on June 8, as he runs in the Democratic primary for both lieutenant governor and his 45th District seat in the House of Delegates.
“It’s a weird situation,” he said. “If I win both races, obviously I’ll resign my delegate seat in time to make sure that we have a full election prior to the ’22 session, because I want to make sure that seat is filled by a strong progressive Democrat.”
Bennett-Parker said Levine’s plan, if successful, would end up costing the region more than $100,000 in election costs, including the printing of new ballots, and paying staff and election officers and postage for ballots in the three jurisdictions that fall within the 45th District.
“Local taxpayers and local governments have special elections, and those costs are increasing because of COVID,” she said. “Culpepper County held a special election earlier this year and it cost them about $86,000. Their population is smaller than this district. This district encompasses three different jurisdictions, so I think it’s safe to assume that the cost might be a little bit more here.”
As for their differences, Bennett-Parker said they were more about “perspective, experience, style and focus.”
“I think my style is very collaborative and I work effectively with officials, not only on my own Council but across the region,” Bennett-Parker said, without commenting on whether Levine’s style is also collaborative.
It’s no secret that Levine is louder and more aggressive, while Bennett-Parker is more quiet and calculating.
Levine said that his work ethic has resulted in an important endorsement from House Speaker Del. Eileen Filler-Corn, and that his office is strong in constituent services.
“I have the perspective of an outsider,” Levine said. “I fought for marriage equality for 20 years. I know the pain of being left out and I fight really hard, but I also have the experience of an insider… I get into the details of legislating, and I get those details right.”
Bennett-Parker also said that Virginia’s funding formula for public schools needs revamping. Levine agreed.
“This is a flawed system that needs to be fixed because it only exacerbates existing inequities,” Bennett-Parker said. “We need to fix this formula, because education funding is the largest single portion of our budget in both Alexandria and Arlington.”
Both candidates also support repealing Virginia’s right-to-work law, and ending the Medicaid waiver waitlist, which had more than 13,000 Virginians waiting for coverage in 2020.
Levine touted his record of bills passed, and said that he’s not a “go along guy.”
“I’m not a newcomer, and you know how hard I’ve worked,” he said. “I’m the guy who pushes the ball forward and makes us more progressive, that’s the reason why I’ve been rated the second most progressive legislator in the Virginia House of Delegates, I’d appreciate your vote twice for me.”
Bennett-Parker said that her perspective as co-director of the nonprofit Together We Bake also sets her apart, in addition to serving on City Council the last three years.
“I’m proud of the work that I’ve done as Vice Mayor,” she said. “I will always roll up my sleeves and work collaboratively to solve issues and deliver results for our district.”
