Arlington County Democratic News Vol. 31, No. 6 www.arlingtondemocrats.org June 2006 Baird wins SB endorsement In a very close election, Sally Baird won the Last year’s School Board endorsement vote Democratic endorsement for School Board by just used the county’s new electronic voting machines. 69 votes. To save money, however, ACDC this year returned The final vote count May 20 was 1,135 votes to paper ballots, which prompted a lot of tongue- for Baird, 1,066 for Sharon Davis in-cheek comments from voters. “I with three blank ballots. feel like I’m in a Third World coun- Baird won with 51 percent in try,” joked one. “It’s so one of the closest firehouse prima- Kazakhstan,” said the next voter. ries ever held in Arlington. The firehouse primary was Balloting was held at the managed by Peter Owen, ACDC NRECA Building, a shift from the deputy secretary, who gathered 74 more common site, the Washington- volunteers to run the seven-hour Lee High School cafeteria. The vote. “Many people stayed far be- school was unavailable as it is be- yond the hours they volunteered ing rebuilt. The new site was defi- for,” Owen said. “It shows the en- nitely plusher, with carpeting on the thusiasm people have for the party floor, which prompted a lot of posi- here.” tive comments. Baird continued on page five Support the Jeffersonian and Jacksonian principles of the Democratic Party Kaine, Miller, Webb will all TWICE this coming month speak at June 9 J-J Dinner FIRST: Attend the The invitations have been Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, mailed and reservations are com- ing in fast! Space is limited and Friday, June 9 you won’t want to miss out. It may even be the reason Tom SECOND: Vote in the U.S. DeLay decided to resign effec- tive June 9! This year’s Senate Primary, Tuesday Jefferson-Jackson Dinner (affec- June 13 tionately known as the J-J) is going to be like none you’ve ever Full details in this issue attended before. Being held at Arlington’s Historical Note: The first J-J newest hotel, the Westin Arling- Dinners were called Jefferson ton Gateway in Ballston, the fea- Day Dinners and were held tured speaker is Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine. Special guests will in the 1820s before Andrew include the two Democratic can- Jackson became president didates for the U.S. Senate— NOW HEAR THIS — Zimmerman, Miller and Webb and created the modern Harris Miller and Jim Webb. signs (and the occasional umbrella) filled the air May Democratic Party with Since it will be only four days 13 as Arlington Democrats brought out an enthusiastic before the primary, this will be Martin Van Buren. one of the last chances to make crew of partisans to march through Clarendon in the continued on page five annual Neighbohood Day parade. ACDC News, June 2006, Page 2 Report from Chairman Peter Rousselot Join the new, enlarged J-J Dinner! This year’s Arlington Democrats J-J Gateway Hotel in Ballston. You don’t want already purchased yours, don’t delay another dinner is an event you simply can’t afford to miss this opportunity to check out this great day. Return the RSVP card you received with to miss! (See further dinner details and high- new locale. Hotel management is knocking the invitation along with your check NOW. lights elsewhere in this Newsletter.) itself out to wow you with special amenities. If you have any questions, contact the J- For openers, there is our special guest: Eric Sildon and his terrific J-J Dinner J Dinner Committee by e-mail at Governor Tim Kaine. You all helped to put Committee have planned a whole host of new [email protected] or call (703) 528- him in office by your outstanding work last features and offerings that will make this 8588. Tickets are $65 for a YD ticket, $80 year. Now, Governor Kaine wants to return year’s JJ look and feel special for you, your for a regular ticket, and $250 to go to the pri- personally to Arlington to thank Arlington friends and family. vate cocktail reception with Tim Kaine as well Democrats for the crucial role you played in Our J-J Dinner is ACDC’s single biggest as the dinner. Please call about the Roosevelt his election. This is the most satisfying and fundraiser of the year. The proceeds of this Society discounts that are available. rewarding kind of closure imaginable. How dinner underwrite our new and continuing See you at our J-J on June 9! can you pass this up? Make sure you have a initiatives to be the pacesetting Democratic chance to meet Tim Kaine personally by pur- committee in Virginia—leading the way to chasing a $250 Sapphire ticket entitling you victory for Democrats from the School House Resolution addressing to attend both the private cocktail reception to the White House. So, besides participating and the dinner. in an unforgettable evening, you will have the immigration passed This will be the biggest J-J Dinner in satisfaction of knowing how valuable your A resolution calling on Congress to “pass years. It won’t look at all like the J-J dinners contribution to ACDC is to further that cause comprehensive, common-sense immigration that you have attended recently. There are we all share. reform that enables undocumented immi- many reasons, but one of the special ones is The J-J Dinner Committee advises that grants to earn citizenship within a reasonable our venue—the brand new Westin Arlington tickets are selling briskly, so if you haven’t amount of time” was unanimously adopted by ACDC at its May 3rd meeting. The resolution also urges opposition to “any legislation that would make it a felony Dalal Musa, M.S.W., L.C.S.W. offense solely to be in the United States with- out legal immigration status, or criminalize the provision of assistance to, or require the Falls Church Center for Counseling deportation of, millions of people without le- 207 Park Avenue gal immigration status.” Peter Rousselot, chair of ACDC, blasted Suite B-3 Republican leaders for using immigration as Falls Church, Virginia 22046 a wedge issue instead of looking for real so- lutions. “Proposals to build a wall on our Southern border, or turn millions of hard- 703-532-6220 working immigrants into felons demonstrate the moral bankruptcy of the GOP position,” Rousselot said. Helping individuals, couples, and families cope with The full text of the resolution can be anxiety, depression, grief, transitions and interpersonal conflict found on the ACDC web site at www.arlingtondemocrats.org. Office hours by appointment Abdelhamid to Steering Maram Abdelhamid, vice chair of out- Published monthly by the reach and visibility, has been appointed to the Arlington County Democratic Committee ACDC Steering Committee. 4620 Lee Highway, Suite 214, Arlington, VA 22207 A graduate of the University of Denver, Tel: (703) 528-8588 Fax: (703) 528-2321 Maram has served as National Field Organizer http://www.arlingtondemocrats.org for 21st Century Democrats and was Deputy Chair: Peter Rousselot —703-276-1584 (o), [email protected] Campaign Manager of Congressman Jim Editor-in-Chief: Barbara van Voorst —703-522-6294 (h), [email protected] Moran’s 2004 campaign. She began her ca- Deputy Editor: Warren Nelson —703-243-7867 (h), [email protected] reer as a legislative assistant to Colorado State Views expressed do not necessarily represent those of the ACDC Rep. Desiree Sanchez. unless expressly approved by an appropriate Committee Resolution Currently, she is the Relations Associ- Copyright ©2006, ACDC, All Rights Reserved ate at the Arab American Institute. ACDC News, June 2006, Page 3 Bumper Sticker Next Monthly Meeting—All Dems Invited Wednesday, June 7, 2006, 7 p.m. of the Month NRECA Building, 4301 Wilson Blvd Corner of North Taylor and Wilson, just east of Glebe & Wilson Friends don’t Free parking under building, enter from Taylor Street This month we will focus on the proposed constitutional amendment let friends vote (on the ballot this November) to bar gays and lesbians from marry- ing. We will hear about the Commonwealth Coalition’s efforts to reach Republican out and educate voters on the amendment and why they should vote no. Jay Fisette will speak on ways ACDC Dems can get involved. Warren Stambaugh to be remembered The Warren G. Stambaugh Memorial Hendry House in Fort C.F. Smith Park. ing these years, he became a rising star in the Foundation will host a fund-raising event, “I Warren Stambaugh represented Arling- General Assembly leadership and a recog- remember Warren,” with Senator Dick ton in the Virginia House of Delegates from nized champion of humanitarian causes such Durbin [D-IL] speaking, June 6, at the 1974 until his death in November 1990. Dur- as disability rights. One of his signature achievements was drafting and working to enact the Virginians with Disabilities Act in 1985. After his death, his family, friends and colleagues formed the Warren G. Stambaugh Memorial Foundation to advance accessibility and community inte- gration for individuals with disabilities. Over the years, WGSMF has sponsored improvements to Community Residences’ homes for individuals with mental illness and developmental disabilities and installation of a ramp at Barcroft Community Center. WGSMF is currently planning modifications to Lyon Park Community Center to make this polling place and community facility fully ac- cessible. To advance the ongoing work of the Stambaugh Foundation, friends and support- ers of its mission and Warren’s legacy will gather June 6 from 6-9 p.m. at the Hendry House in Fort C.