Virginia Del. Bob Brink, D-Arlington, announced Tuesday that he will not pursue the Democratic nomination for the state Senate seat being vacated by retiring Sen. Mary Margaret Whipple, D-Arlington.
“I am gratified that many people have encouraged me to seek the Senate nomination, and it would be a tremendous honor to succeed Mary Margaret in the Senate,” Brink said in a statement. “However, I have decided that I can best serve Arlingtonians by remaining in the House of Delegates.”
Brink openly acknowledged in the statement the difficulties Arlington had during the 20111 General Assembly session; the extension of a hotel surcharge used to bolster the county’s tourism promotion efforts notably failed.
“Next year the entire Arlington delegation, including the new senator from the 31st District, must be prepared to work at restoring the trust and respect for the county that it deserves and that so many have sought to achieve,” he said.
Arlington County board member Barbara Favola has already announced that she’ll run for the seat, and all eyes will now turn to Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, who has also been mentioned as a possible candidate.
