Meet The Candidates: Herring, Murray, Vie For 46th Virginia House Seat

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(Thursday) January 8, 2009

By James Cullum
alexandrianews.org

On Tuesday, Jan. 13, there will be a special election in Virginia’s 46th House District. Democrat, Herring and Republican, Joe Murray, will compete for the seat recently vacated by Democrat Brian Moran. Moran resigned in December to run for Governor full-time. There are 40,000 active registered voters in the 46th District’s 12 precincts, 11 of which are in Alexandria’s West End. The polls will open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 7:00 p.m.

The Candidates

Name: Joe Murray Age: 33
Party: Republican

Hometown: Sea Girt, New Jersey
Alexandria resident: Four years
Occupation: Special Assistant in the office of Congressman Joe Wilson (R-SC)
Education: Rutgers University, Bachelor of the Arts/Political Science Currently in his third year at Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law, and will graduate May 2010

Civic participation: Member of Brookville Seminary Valley Civic Association, is a donor and active member of the American Red Cross Donor and attends the First Baptist Church of Alexandria

Most important issues: Transportation, infrastructure redevelopment, budget

Quotes

On running as a republican in a completely Democratically-controlled district: “It’s an uphill battle. The main motivation for me to enter into the race was so I’ll be able to tell my 18- month old that her dad was a candidate for the Virginia House of Delegates in the 46th district… She, my daughter, was born with a very serious skin disease and I’m running because I want her to know that I faced these challenges.”

On the budget: “Virginia’s constitution requires a balanced budget. One of the main focuses I would hope to encourage would be an increase in workforce job training to get people back to work. I think the best economic stimulus plan is job creation.”

www.friendsofjoemurray.com

Name: Charniele Herring
Age: 39
Party: Democratic
Hometown: Alexandria, Va
Alexandria resident: 22 years
Occupation: Lawyer, owns consulting company
Education: B.A. in Economics from George Mason University, and J.D. from the Catholic University Columbus School of Law.
Civic participation: President of the West End Business Association, three-time appointee and former chair of the Alexandria Commission for Women, serves on the Youth Policy Commission, Landmark Redevelopment Advisory Committee, lectures for the Hopkins House Parent Leadership Project and serves on its Public Policy and Outreach Committee. Herring also works on the Commonwealth Scholars Program Initiative.  She is a fellow of the Sorensen Institute of Political Leadership and is the former Deputy Chair of Precinct Operations-West for the Alexandria Democratic Committee. While in college, she worked for the Alexandria Mental Health Association as a crisis intervention counselor and trainer.
Most important issues: Education, budget, transportation and the environment

Quotes

On Schools: “When we get our budget in shape, I would love to fully fund pre-K education. I’m concerned about overcrowding of Tucker and Adams elementary school.”

On the budget: “There are some things that Governor Kaine has proposed that I support. One of them is an increase on the cigarette tax. Right now we are below the national average on the cigarette tax. And that will help (the budget crisis) a little bit. Long-term, I think that looking at alternative fuel sources is a new industry for Virginia and is the way to go.”

On transportation: “Specifically with our district, with the BRAC relocation and addition of 6,400 workers to the area, they will have to get here somehow. I want to make sure we have plenty of money for that road expansion…although I think that’s going to be a tough one. I think to be successful is to work for what my constituents need or want, not by being a thorn in the side of the Army. It’s working with the other side of the aisle and coming to a consensus. And, hopefully there will be federal funding coming along with the project.”

On her chances of winning: “I take nothing for granted. I know that we have a strong democratic area, but this is a special election and republicans have been able to gain ground with those.”

www.herringfordelegate.com

 

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