A Democratic Party favorite admitted defeat Wednesday in a hotly contested race for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. First-time candidate Christopher Wade lost the Democratic primary for Braddock supervisor to former school board member Janet Oleszek by a 1.1 percent margin — a difference of only 43 votes. The result was so close that Wade waited until after Fairfax County election officials double-checked the results Wednesday morning before calling Oleszek to concede defeat.
Oleszek now faces Republican incumbent John Cook for the Braddock seat, which Democrats held for two decades before Cook won it in a special election in 2009. Chairwoman Sharon Bulova, who held the seat before Cook, supported Wade in the primary race.
In other results from Tuesday’s primary elections, Barbara Favola easily defeated Jaime Areizaga-Soto for the Democratic nomination in the 31st state Senate district, after accusing her opponent of working for environment-spoiling corporations. Areizaga-Soto spread his share of acrimony, saying Favola sold her vote to developers and a towing company.
Favola won with 66 percent of the vote to Areizaga-Soto’s 34 percent.
Elsewhere in Northern Virginia, Del. Adam Ebbin, D-Arlington, beat Alexandria City Councilman Rob Krupricka for the Democratic nomination in the 30th state Senate district. Ebbin took 40 percent of the vote to Krupicka’s 35 percent; Arlington School Board member Libby Garvey took 25 percent.
In the 49th House of Delegates District, former Tim Kaine adviser Alfonso Lopez beat out newcomer Stephanie Clifford for the Democratic nomination by nearly 40 percentage points, 69 percent to 31 percent.
Meanwhile, Republicans are now preparing to face off against their newly picked Democratic opponents.
“That whole primary was run on generalities and platitudes. Anyone can say we’re for good schools and good transportation. Well who isn’t?” Cook, the Republican incumbent on the Fairfax board, told The Washington Examiner.
But his opponent, Oleszek, was undeterred.
“We have held Braddock district for a generation, and we’re going to win it back,” she said.
Virginia Republicans, already in control of the House and governor’s office, hope to take control of the state Senate.
The GOP only needs to gain three seats to win the majority. Lt. Gov. William Bolling said Wednesday that he believes Republicans “have a realistic chance” of wresting a dozen seats away from Democrats.
