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McLeanMcLean Dani Stoller as Elvira and Steven Carpenter as Charles in the 1st Sheer Stage production of Noel Coward’s “Blithe Spirit.” Madness Classifieds, Page 14 ❖ of an Sports, Page 12 ❖ Evening Entertainment, Page 8 Entertainment, Page 8 ❖ SeniorSenior LivingLiving Inside Senior Living JUNE 2013 Opinion, Page 6 McLean www.ConnectionNewspapers.comLocal Media Connection LLC ❖ Local Media Connection LLC onlineSenior at w Livingww.c Juneonn 2013ect io ❖ n MncLeanewsp Connectionapers.com ❖ 1 Two Races, Four Candidates News, Page 3 MCA Hosts Members Update Photo by Teresa Castracane/Courtesy of 1st Stage www.ConnectionNewspapers.comJune 5-11, 2013 News, Page 4 online at www.connectionnewspapers.com McLean Connection ❖ June 5-11, 2013 ❖ 1 2 ❖ McLean Connection ❖ June 5-11, 2013 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com McLean Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic News 703-778-9414 or [email protected] Two Races, Four Candidates Competition in June 11 Democratic primary for lieutenant governor and attorney general. By Michael Lee Pope can standard bearer has changed the dy- Gazette Packet namics of the race, which has suddenly be- come much higher profile than it would orthern Virginia will dominate otherwise be. Democrats are eager to cam- the choices for statewide of- paign against Jackson, using his past state- Nfice when Democrats head to ments as a template to portray the Republi- the polls on June 11 for a Northam Chopra Herring Fairfax can ticket as a party against choice for statewide primary to select candidates for women and civil rights for gays. That lieutenant governor and attorney general. means the choice facing Democrats is Former Democratic National Committee “Terry McAuliffe is not the most highly regarded which of the two candidates on the Chairman Terry McAuliffe will be unop- Democratic side would be the best per- posed as the party’s choice for governor, Democrat, and a lot of Democrats are frustrated by son to face Jackson. leaving the longtime McLean resident to that choice. But he will have some material to paint “I think it helps Chopra,” said former face Republican Attorney General Ken state Democratic Party chairman Brian Cuccinelli this fall. the Republican ticket as too conservative for Virginia.” Moran. “Northam would have been a “Terry McAuliffe is not the most highly choice for Democrats who were con- regarded Democrat, and a lot of Democrats — University of Mary Washington political science professor cerned about electability. Now that’s less are frustrated by that choice,” said Univer- Stephen Farnsworth of a concern, so people will be more will- sity of Mary Washington political science ing to go with what their hearts and professor Stephen Farnsworth. “But he will on the social issues that dominated the con- he formally launched his campaign back in minds are telling them.” have some material to paint the Republi- troversial 2012 session, which put Virginia March, he tried to re-appropriate his repu- can ticket as too conservative for Virginia.” in the national news media spotlight as well tation as a high-tech innovator in a politi- THE RACE for attorney general is tradi- Republicans were going to use a statewide as the late-night comedy shows. cal context. tionally difficult for Democrats, who must primary to select their candidates until Tea “Republicans used their majority to “I decided to run for the post as I firmly battle the perception that Republicans are Party supporters backing Cuccinelli seized launch an all-out assault on women, work- believe our state government can be the law-and-order party that has candidates control of the executive committee last year ing families and the LGBT community,” he smarter, faster, better, and fairer for all Vir- who are tough on crime. The last Demo- and changed the rules. The party decided said in an e-mail to party steering commit- ginians,” he said in a written statement. crat to hold the office was Mary Sue Terry, to ditch the primary in favor of a conven- tee members to launch his campaign. “As I Earlier this month, Chopra became the who was first elected to the position in 1985 tion to determine candidates, a decision that spoke on the floor of the Virginia Senate to first down-ticket candidate to start airing a and then reelect in 1989. That means Re- prompted Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling to drop out defend a most basic right of women — the television commercial. The 33-second spot publicans have held the position since 1990. of the race and condemn the direction of right to control their own bodies and per- titled “Escalator” shows Chopra staying in “Democrats know this is an uphill climb,” the party as too extreme. When Republi- sonal health — I was struck by how far place as he climbs up a down elevator. The said Moran. “That’s why it’s so important cans gathered in Richmond earlier this Virginia’s government had strayed from its image is supposed to act as a metaphor for to for primary voters to pick the right per- month to nominate Cuccinelli, they also most fundamental mission of improving the the economic plight of middle class Virgin- son to be on the ticket.” selected a virtually unknown candidate for lives of all Virginians.” ians, women seeking to rise in their careers, The winner of the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor — conservative black On the campaign trail, Northam has and the rise of college tuition costs. attorney general will face state Sen. Mark pastor E.W. Jackson, who has compared called for a ban on assault weapons and a “The Richmond Republicans want us to Obenshain (R-26), who won his party’s Planned Parenthood to the Ku Klux Klan and requirement for universal background give up,” he says as he begins to ride back- nomination during a convention fight called gays “sexually twisted.” checks on all firearm purchases in Virginia. ward down the escalator. “But we can’t let against Del. Rob Bell (R-58). Although “This is further evidence that making de- He has also suggested that elected officials that happen.” Obenshain’s nomination as the Republican cisions like that can have unintended con- should be required to report of gifts to fam- choice for attorney general did not gener- sequences,” said University of Virginia Cen- ily members, which would have required THE RACE for lieutenant governor is nor- ate as much press as the lieutenant gover- ter for Politics analyst Geoff Skelley. “If Jack- the governor’s daughter to report the mally a sleeper because the role is the least nor candidate, Obenshain’s speech to del- son proves to be a liability for the ticket, $15,000 tab for catering and flowers she visible of all the statewide offices. But this egates sounded many of the same themes Republicans will probably look back on the received from Star Scientific CEO Jonnie year is different for two reasons. One is the — opposing a woman’s right to choose, sup- decision to shift to a convention with some Williams — who also contributed money to split in the Virginia state Senate, which is porting the Second Amendment and going remorse.” the attorney general’s campaign that went evenly divided between 20 Republicans and after Democratic President Barack Obama Democrats have two contenders for the unreported at first. Northam’s proposal 20 Democrats. That means that the next at every opportunity. lieutenant governor spot, state Sen. Ralph would also lower the threshold of personal lieutenant governor will have a tie-break- “President Obama, the next time your Northam (D-6) and former U.S. Chief Tech- investments that must be disclosed from ing vote determining the balance of power rogue IRS targets the Virginia Tea Party, you nology Officer Aneesh Chopra. In the race $10,000 to $5,000 as well as create an in- in the Senate. Another reason this year is going to have to deal with me,” Obenshain for attorney general, Democrats will select dependent ethics panel with subpoena pow- different is because winner of the Demo- said to thunderous applause. between state Sen. Mark Herring (D-33) ers. cratic primary for lieutenant governor will and former federal prosecutor Justin “The people of this commonwealth de- go head to head with Jackson. Northam and MARK HERRING is a Leesburg resident Fairfax. serve better than Governor McDonnell and Chopra wasted no time in issuing state- and graduate of the University of Richmond Attorney General Cuccinelli’s recent impro- ments about the Republican candidate. School of Law who runs a private practice. RALPH NORTHAM is a Virginia Military prieties,” Northam said in a statement is- “E.W. Jackson is fighting tooth and nail A former member of the Loudoun County Institute graduate and U.S. Army veteran sued in April. with Ken Cuccinelli to move Virginia back- Board of Supervisors, Herring was first who is currently a pediatric neurologist. wards by imposing an extreme social elected to the state Senate in a 2006 spe- Northam is currently an assistant professor ANEESH CHOPRA is an Arlington resi- agenda onto the Commonwealth,” said cial election. He has a bachelor’s degree and of neurology at Eastern Virginia Medical dent, a graduate of the Kennedy School of Northam in a press release. master’s degrees from the University of Vir- School and father of two. One of his major Government at Harvard University and the “Jackson’s extreme views are far to the ginia, and he is the father of two. He legislative accomplishments during his time father of two girls. He served as Virginia’s right of Virginia voters. In fact, Jackson is launched his campaign for attorney general in the state Senate was championing legis- Secretary of Technology under Democratic far more extreme than Ken Cuccinelli — almost a year ago, saying it’s time to “get lation to ban smoking in restaurants.