Seven Days Left: Republican Primary Will Determine Moran Challenger

(Tuesday) June 1, 2010

Republican candidate Matthew Berry (Photo: James Cullum)

By James Cullum
alexandrianews.org

What if you held a primary and no one voted?

With the Republican primary for the 8th Congressional District a week away, voting and fundraising are lackluster. To date, the Alexandria Electoral Board has received 21 mail-in and 45 in-person absentee ballots. The winner will face 20-year incumbent Democrat Jim Moran in the general election in November.  The 8th Congressional District includes the City of Alexandria, Falls Church and parts of Arlington and Fairfax Counties. The primary is Tuesday, June 8.

As of May 19, Republican Candidate Matthew Berry had $45,927 on-hand, according to the Federal Elections Commission. Berry, an Arlington-based attorney, raised $159,296 and spent $113,369. The majority of his $150,172 in individual contributions came from attorneys and other individuals.  Twelve of his contributions reached the $2400 allowable maximum for a Federal candidate. Berry funded $8123 of his campaign. He also received $1000 from the Pepsico Concerned Citizens Fund, according to the FEC.

“We need to nominate a candidate who will be able to send out the mailings, run the media advertisements and put up the signs necessary to get our message out this fall,” Berry wrote on his website. “There is only one Republican campaign in the 8th District that has demonstrated the ability to do these things.”

Republican candidate Patrick Murray. (Photo: James Cullum)

As of May 19, Republican Candidate J. Patrick Murray, a retired Army colonel who makes his home in Alexandria, has $14,816 on-hand, according to Opensecrets.org. He raised $70,184 and spend $56,029. Murray spent $26,873 of his own money on the campaign. Individuals contributed $42,876.

Murray recently made a final appeal to voters. “With eight days to go before the June 8 Republican primary,” he wrote on his website,“[f]or the final push, I am announcing our ’8 by the 8th’ program – we need to raise $8000 by June 8th to cross the finish line victorious. Can I count on your help?”

Independent candidate Ron Fisher (Photo: James Cullum)

The FEC webiste has no campaign finance disclosure form for this period from Independent Green Party Candidate Ron Fisher.  Fisher is the 8th Congressional District Chairman of the Independent Green Party of Virginia.  Fisher ran against Moran in 2008, ran for the Virginia House of Delegates in 2007, and, in 2000, chaired the Northern Virginia 2000 Presidential Primary Campaign for John McCain. In 2008, he was the Chair of the Northern Virginia 2008 Presidential Primary Campaign for Dennis Kucinich.

Congressman Jim Moran (Photo: Regan Kireilis)

Moran, a former Alexandria City Councilman and mayor, raised $738,059, and, as of May 19, spent $699,158, according to the FEC. He has $527,348 on-hand. Forty-four percent of his contributions are from political action committees and 54% came from individual contributions. He has not spent any of his own money, according to the FEC.

On June 8, the polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.  Virginia is an open primary state so any registered voter may cast a ballot.