The retirement of U.S. Rep. Tom Davis, announced Wednesday, leaves Northern Virginia Republicans without a clear, well-known successor to run in his place, a situation contrasting sharply with a Democratic field populated by two dominant party figures in an increasingly left-leaning district.
Davis held the district for 14 years as a moderate lawmaker who earned praise for reaching across party lines and the enmity of the conservative wing of his own party. Sen. John Warner, a Republican who also plans to retire after this term, told The Examiner Davis is “a voice of reason, which is needed in the Republican Party and in the state.”
Davis’ departure is widely regarded as bad news for the Republican Party, which is likely to face Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chairman Gerry Connolly or former U.S. Rep. Leslie Byrne in a general election, both of whom are considered formidable.
Conservative Republican businessman Keith Fimian declared his candidacy hours after Davis announced his retirement, saying he has amassed more than $700,000 — $325,000 of which is his own money. Former Fairfax County School Board member Steve Hunt also has entered the race.
But neither Republican can boast the name recognition of Connolly or Byrne, who will face the lesser-known Doug Denneny and Lori Alexander for the Democratic nod. Connolly has not formally declared.
Confirming a Tuesday report in The Examiner, Davis said he would “take a sabbatical from public life” and return to the private sector at the end of his term. The announcement comes three months after he scrapped his Senate bid to replace Warner.
While there is no obvious successor for Davis, Fimian is the “clear front-runner” for the nomination, said Fairfax County Supervisor Pat Herrity.
“He’s been running, he’s got an organization, he’s got money, he’s got himself educated on the issues,” Herrity said. “Clearly his biggest weakness is name recognition outside the Republican Party. That is a big obstacle.”
Other potential Republican candidates whose names had been bandied about in recent months have said they won’t run, including Herrity, Prince William Chairman Corey Stewart, his predecessor, Sean Connaughton, Centreville Del. Tim Hugo, former state Sen. Jay O’Brien, and Prince William Supervisor Mike May.
Stepping aside
U.S. Rep. Tom Davis’ retirement announcement comes after a series of political events that could have undermined a re-election bid:
» November 2006: Davis wins an unexpectedly narrow victory over Democratic newcomer Andy Hurst, who took 102,511 votes to Davis’ 130,468.
» January 2007: As Democrats assume control of the House, Davis loses his cherished chairmanship of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
» October: After his party opts for a nominating process that favors a more conservative candidate, Davis decides against starting a long-expected bid to replace outgoing Republican Sen. John Warner.
» November: Davis’ wife, Jeannemarie Devolites Davis, whose political fortunes were seen as closely tied to his, loses to DemocratChap Peterson by 11 percent.
