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Inside Senior Living Classifieds, Page 18 Classifieds, v Entertainment, Page 16 v MPAartfest Celebrates Opinion, Page 6 Arts in McLean News, Page 4 Pendulum Politics in People browse the artist booths at the 11th annual MPAartfest in McLean Cen- Northern Virginia? tral Park on Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. News, Page 3 ‘Passion For Fashion’ To Help Abused Children News, Page 15 Photo by Colin Stoecker/The Connection Photo October 4-10, 2017 online at www.connectionnewspapers.com 2 ❖ McLean Connection ❖ October 4-10, 2017 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com McLean Connection Editor Kemal Kurspahic News 703-778-9414 or [email protected] Pendulum Politics in Northern Virginia? With Vince Callahan gone, House District 34 has swung to the left then the right then back to the left, with increasing margin. By Michael Lee Pope The Connection orthern Virginia’s wealthiest suburbs are also some of its Nmost hotly contested battle- ground precincts, the House of Delegates district surrounding Great Falls that’s swung left and right and left again in recent years. What once was the home of Cheryl Buford Kathleen Murphy legendary Republican Vince Callahan has become kind of jump ball after he an- making it one of the wealthiest districts in nounced his retirement a decade ago. It’s Virginia. Callahan represented the seat for now represented by Democrat Kathleen more than 20 years, but his retirement cre- Murphy (D-34), who narrowly won a spe- ated a swing district that has parties bat- cial election when Republican Barbara tling for dominance ever since. Democrat The 34th House District stretches from Fort Marcy through Langley and Comstock was elected to Congress in 2014. Margi Vanderhye won it in 2007, although Great Falls into the eastern edge of Loudoun County Now Republican Cheryl Buford is chal- she was ousted two years later by Comstock. lenging Murphy from the center right, wag- After Comstock was elected to Congress in her career as a home economics teacher in lief” before serving as a congressional aide ing a campaign that strays from Republi- 2014, Murphy won a hotly contested elec- Chicago. After that, she became a consult- on Capitol Hill for U.S. Rep. Charlie Wilson can orthodoxy on issues like closing the gun tion against Republican Craig Parisot, beat- ant for government agencies specializing in (D-Texas). During the Clinton administra- show loophole. ing him by three points. In a 2015 rematch transportation and economic development. tion, she was appointed as a congressional “There isn’t a good reason not to do it between the two, the margin was even She says she was recruited to run for the liaison at the U.S. Agency for International now,” says Buford. “One of the reasons why tighter. House of Delegates by Jo Thoburn, chair- Development, later serving as a senior ad- people said we shouldn’t close the gun show But Donald Trump won only 38 percent woman of the 10th Congressional District visor on international trade issues at the loophole is that it was too expensive to get of the vote last November to HiIlary Republican Committee. Department of Commerce. Last year, one law enforcement there to approve people. Clinton’s 56 percent. U.S. Sen. Mark Warner “There was an opportunity here, so I said of her bills was used as part of a compro- But now there are regulations that there has (D) won the district by 51 percent to Ed yes I wanted to give back to the commu- mise Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe struck to be someone on the premises who will Gillespie’s 47 percent. nity,” says Buford. “I have different policy with Republicans on guns, a bill prevents take people through the process.” “While it will be tough for the GOP to win priorities than our current delegate.” people subject to protective orders from Following in footsteps of Comstock, any seats currently held by Democrats in On some issues, Buford is a traditional having firearms. Buford is trying to thread a delicate needle 2017, this is one of the few such seats with Republican. She says she would vote against “I work well with the other side,” says in a district that she’s hoping could swing a recent track record of competitiveness,” expanding Medicaid, for example. She also Murphy. “It isn’t always reflected in legisla- either way politically. She’s promising to get says Geoff Skelley at the University of Vir- says she would vote in favor of hospital tive bills, but I’ve been endorsed twice now rid of needless regulation without being on ginia Center for Politics. “So I don’t think construction standards for abortion clinics. by the Northern Virginia Chamber of Com- the record about specifics. When pressed we can entirely count out Buford.” On other issues, she takes a more moder- merce because I’m good for business.” for details, Buford couldn’t name any regu- Recent statewide elections have seen the ate tone. In addition to voting to close the This year, she passed a bill helping phar- lations she would reduce or eliminate. In- district lean slightly to the left, although gun show loophole, Buford says she would macists dispense with prescription drugs in stead, she says she wants to review the ad- Mitt Romney and Barack Obama were es- vote in favor of allowing local governments a way that prevents them from getting into ministrative code. On the campaign trail, sentially tied here in the 2012 presidential to remove Confederate statues. If elected, the ground water. she’s attacked Murphy for being a “part- election. Republican Bob McDonnell beat she says, she would fight the opioid epi- She passed another bill requiring for- time” lawmaker. When pressed for an ex- Democrat Creigh Deeds here in the 2009 demic. But when pressed for details, she profit schools to inform students if their planation about what that line of attack campaign for governor, although Democrats says she doesn’t have any specific propos- credits are transferrable and if the school is means, Buford says she hadn’t seen her are usually able to win a little more than als in mind other than following the lead of accredited. opponent knocking on doors in her neigh- half the vote in more recent elections. The state Sen. Bryce Reeves (R-17). One of her Yet another new law she introduced re- borhood. Murphy says she’s spent lots of outlier was the 2016 presidential election, key campaign issues is recalculating the quires school boards to report student- time in Buford’s neighborhood working on when Democrat Hillary Clinton swamped Local Composite Index to give more money teacher ratios in middle schools and high transportation issues. Republican Donald Trump by almost 20 to school divisions who have a high per- schools. If re-elected, she says, she wants “I’ve worked very hard with the neigh- percentage points in the district. centage of students who speak English as a to introduce legislation to reduce the class borhoods over there where she lives along “Murphy may be buoyed by the district’s second language. size of science labs to reduce the opportu- Route 7 to make sure their voice is heard sharp turn left in 2016,” says Skelley. “Presi- “We are not getting credit for the English nity for accidents. And she says she’s also with VDOT as they are planning exits and dent Trump plays very poorly in this neck as a second language students who require likely to expand on her previous work to turn lanes and getting things done as Route of the woods, which will make it tough for additional assistance,” says Buford. “We keep guns out of homes where protective 7 has expanded,” says Murphy. “You ask the GOP to take it back in 2017.” should receive that as should schools across orders are in place. She also says she wants other people over there, and they’ll tell you the commonwealth.” to make sure female veterans get all the I’m there all the time.” BUFORD, 64, is a native of Topeka, Kan. services they need. She was raised in a suburb of Kansas City, MURPHY, 60, is a native of Chicago who “I serve on the Board of Veterans Services THE 34TH HOUSE DISTRICT stretches and she has a bachelor’s degree in educa- spent her childhood moving around as part for the state, and I’m working very hard on from Fort Marcy through Langley and Great tion and a master’s degree in family eco- of a military family. She graduated high women’s veterans issues,” says Murphy. “I’m Falls into the eastern edge of Loudoun nomics, both from Kansas State University. school in Phoenix, and she earned a working very hard to get a women’s coor- County. It includes the CIA headquarters, She also has a master of public affairs from bachelor’s degree in political science and dinator for veterans affairs because we have Wolf Trap and Trump National Golf Course. the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the Uni- psychology. Professionally, she was a writer a very large number of women veterans The median household income is $175,000, versity of Texas. Professionally, she started for a Nickelodeon show called “Beyond Be- here in Virginia.” www.ConnectionNewspapers.com McLean Connection ❖ October 4-10, 2017 ❖ 3 News MPAartfest Celebrates Arts in McLean By Colin Stoecker “I love the arts walk. It’s inspir- The Connection ing,” said Shreem Ramineni, a McLean resident and a stay at n Sunday, Central home mom and tax attorney. Her Park in McLean was son Vasav, a 4-year-old student at O crowded with fami- Country Day Montessori School lies who attended proudly pointed to his artwork, the the MPAArtfest, annual arts festi- 3D fish tank.

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