Retiring senator ensnared in pitched battle for her seat
A Virginia state senate primary campaign already noted for its nastiness has grown even more heated over whether one of the candidates was a “policy adviser” to the current holder of that office, or just an intern.
Jaime Areizaga-Soto, a Democrat running for the 31st District seat covering parts of Arlington and Fairfax, has claimed he was a top aide to Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, who will retire after this term.
But Whipple, who is backing another Democratic candidate, Barbara Favola, said Areizaga-Soto was actually an intern in her office, and has criticized him for padding his resume.
That accusation has provoked Del. David Englin of Alexandria to announce he is backing Areizaga-Soto, claiming the charge of lying about his role on Whipple’s staff is unfair.
Englin said Whipple was buying into “good old boy” Democratic politics. Whipple has given Areizaga-Soto’s opponent, Barbara Favola, $17,250 for her campaign since January, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
“Very obviously they tried to clear the field for a candidate early on,” Englin said. He noted that Areizaga-Soto was paid by Whipple, and that she publicly described him as an adviser.
But Englin has his own motives for his endorsement — his wife is a paid consultant for Areizaga-Soto.
Favola dismissed Englin’s charge of political cronyism.
“The nominee is not going to be selected in some smoke-filled back room,” she said. “I’ve served the community for 14 years. I’m very well known.”
The campaign has grown increasingly ugly since Areizaga-Soto sent out a mailer to residents claiming Favola had “sold her vote” to real estate developers. Favola’s biggest contributor is a real estate developer who lives in Potomac.
Favola then accused Areizaga-Soto of working for international developers and oil companies.
“Now here, in the final stretch of the campaign, the party machine is trying to belittle my work,” said Areizaga-Soto.
Favola said her opponent was more negative than she was. “I have not been mailing the negative things to the universe like he has,” Favola said.
