Two seats on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors — one Republican and one Democratic — will see primary challenges this year, according to county election officials.
Among county races, few surprises came at the filing deadline Friday for the June 12 primaries.
In the Providence District, one-term Democratic incumbent Linda Smyth is facing a challenge from Charlie Hall, chairman of the Providence District Council, in a race likely to center on the board’s recent land-use decisions.
Hall, who formed a group opposing Pulte Homes’ massive MetroWest development at the Vienna Metro station approved last year, has blasted the board for what he calls a “build first, plan later” policy.
“I am concerned, and many people in the community are concerned, that they are allowing a whole new wave of high-rise construction without paying attention to the impact,” he said. “People are afraid that life will be damaged by piecemeal planning.”
Smyth said she has worked against “density creep” and drew clear lines between areas of urbanized, transit-oriented development and lower-density neighborhoods. She defended her support of MetroWest.
“It was five years of discussion about [MetroWest], and we certainly did listen to a lot of people with a lot of different perspectives,” she said. “We made a lot of changes over the course of those five years. We held a lot of meetings.”
“And that certainly isn’t the only thing going on in the county,” she added, pointing to her role in the preservation of the Oakton Schoolhouse earlier this year.
In the Springfield District, six-term Republican supervisor Elaine McConnell had announced her intention not to run again earlier this year. Pat Herrity — son of former longtime Fairfax County Chairman John “Jack” Herrity — and software consultant Stan Reid will fight for the GOP nomination.
Friday also revealed a Republican challenger for Fairfax County commonwealth’s attorney, which does not have a contested primary in either party. Arlington County Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Patrick McDade, a Republican, will face Democrat Raymond Morrogh, deputy to Robert Horan Jr., the county’s outgoing head prosecutor.
