The Election by the Numbers: How the Candidates Won
A look at the vote totals and who won where
Highlights of Tuesday's races that involved McLean:
John Foust became the first supervisor in years to carry all 30 precincts in the Dranesville district and to win re-election. His opponent, Dennis Husch, a former Herndon city council member, didn't carry one Herndon precinct, not even his own.
"I think he got more votes than any Dranesville supervisor," said former Republican Dranesville Supervisor Stu Mendelsohn.
Barbara Comstock was the only Republican to win in Dranesville.
In the 31st Senate District race, Democrat Barbara Favola beat Caren Merrick with nearly 60 percent of the vote. Favola won more than 70 percent of the vote in Arlington, but Merrick won the Fairfax and Loudoun precincts.
School board candidate Jane Strauss carried two-thirds of Dranesville's 30 precincts, including all the precincts in and around Herndon and in southern McLean.
Turnout: An estimated 32 percent of registered voters cast a ballot in the county but Dranesville turnout was higher -- about 36 percent.
Now for closer look:
Until this year, the 31st Senate District was solely in heavily Democratic Arlington County. The Senate Democrats reconfigured it in redistricting, leaving the base in Arlington then elongating it by adding 18 precincts in Fairfax, largely in Dranesville, and seven precincts in Loudoun County.
Favola won 71 percent of the Arlington vote but Merrick won the Fairfax precincts by 1,000 votes.
Democrat Janet Howell won re-election to her sixth term in the Virginia State Senate with 60 percent of the vote over her Republican opponent attorney Patrick Forrest.
This district now stretches from Arlington to Reston and Chantilly and includes eight McLean precincts. Howell won 70 percent of the Arlington vote and nearly 60 percent of the Fairfax vote.
Overall in Fairfax, the Democratic incumbents won and Democrats held on to two open seat candidates. Barbara Favola and Adam Ebbin won to replace the retiring Mary Margaret Whipple and Patricia Ticer.
Republican Barbara Comstock won this seat two years ago by defeating the Democratic incumbent by 561 votes. The Republicans redistricted the seat to make it safer for Republicans by lopping off Democratic precincts.
Tuesday, Comstock defeated McLean attorney Pamela Danner by slightly more than 2,000 votes. Comstock won with 55 percent of the vote in both the Fairfax and Loudoun precincts that make up the district.
Dranesville Supervisor
John Foust won all 30 precincts in the very diverse Dranesville district, which includes working class neighborhoods in Herndon, baronial estates and hugely Republican precincts in Great Falls and McLean, which is a combination of the two.
Husch failed to carry a single precinct, including his own in Herndon.
Foust won with 60 percent of the vote and is only the third supervisor to be elected to a second term in 30 years, Mendelsohn said.
Mendelsohn said he also won 60 percent of the Dranesville vote in 1999, but he lost four precincts.
"I think John's numbers are more well-rounded. He's clearly following my footsteps," Mendelsohn said with a smile.
Dranesville School Board
Incumbent Jane Strauss won the fiercest Dranesville race by defeating school advocate Louise Epstein by nearly 1,000 votes.
Strauss won two-thirds of the Dranesville precincts including all the precincts in and around Herndon and in the precincts generally south of Dolley Madison Boulevard. Epstein won generally the Republican strongholds around Great Falls.
Just FYI, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chair Sharon Bulova won in the Dranesville district. In fact, Bulova won all nine supervisor districts in Fairfax.
Reaction to the Dranesville returns:
When asked to comment on her win, Comstock sent along the statement she had sent to her volunteers thanking them for "a great grassroots victory once again."
Ron Bleecker, chair of the Dranesville District Democrats, said: "I think the results show that Dranesville remains a very competitive district, with Democrats, independent voters and moderate Republicans who are willing to split their ballots. It was gratifying to see that the voters showed their continued support for dedicated and thoughtful public officials, such as John Foust, Jane Strauss, Ilryong Moon and Stan Barry."
Anthony Bedell, chairman of the Fairfax GOP did not respond to our request to comment on the election.
Amanda Isaacson
8:38 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011
As Campaign Manager for Delegate Barbara Comstock, I would add the following information to this story:
Barbara won every area of the 34th district - McLean, Great Falls, Vienna and Loudoun. She won in Fairfax and Loudoun and won 17 out of 22 precincts as well as the absentee votes. We can't thank our volunteers, donors, door knockers, election day workers, advisers and supporters enough. This was a great grassroots victory once again. We were able to build and run a strong campaign that always focused on the issues that are your priorities - keeping Virginia #1 for jobs and having the best schools and an improved transportation system. Barbara is committed to keeping Virginia #1 for business and will continue to focus on your priorities. She will build on a record of strong bipartisan accomplishment with common sense solutions and results for Northern Virginia.
J. Jay Volkert
2:58 pm on Thursday, November 10, 2011
Comstock is not focused on our priorities. Misleading campaign ads covered up her votes against education funding and transportation for Northern Virginia. Virginia is number one for business due to the legacies of Mark Warner and Tim Kane and the progressive government in Fairfax County. High tech companies are not impressed by extreme social agendas and anti-science attorneys general
Bob Bruhns
11:43 am on Thursday, November 10, 2011
As long as a robbery of the magnitude of Dulles Rail does not receive any serious attention from the voting public and most of the candidates, the Board of Supervisors elections will have little meaning. Most candidates just talked about the effect on road tolls, rather than the overcharges and hidden costs involved - and the public did not challenge them about that. The problem therefore comes back to the People, who do not appear to know or care what is happening right under their noses..
Rob Jackson
11:22 am on Saturday, November 12, 2011
Mr. Volkert, you seem confused about state & local finance. The LCI doesn't correctly recognize in cost of living differences, so more state aid to K-12 hurts Fairfax residents. Had the General Assembly voted the extra $620 M to K-12 education, we'd get hammered. Based on our share of VA income tax, we'd pay $142 M of the $620 M, but get about $50 in return, based on state data. Spending almost $3 to get $1 is foolish.
J. Jay Volkert
12:06 pm on Saturday, November 12, 2011
Mr. Jackson, your analysis is correct, and accurately describes the irrational funding scheme for schools in Virginia. My comments were directed at the failure of Delegate Comstock to be a strong advocate for Norther Virginia with respect to education and transporation spending.
Rob Jackson
12:29 pm on Saturday, November 12, 2011
The MCA has worked on this one for years with both Rs and Ds in the General Assembly. A major problem in getting any change in the LCI is the formula benefits Prince William County. Its senators and delegates have no reason to support Fairfax and other harmed jurisdictions. We don't have the votes. Because of the Wilson Bridge & Springfield interchange, NoVA had received more transportation money than it contributed for a number of years. Now it's other areas' turn. Fairfax County needs both Ds & Rs who will refuse to vote for any state tax increases & who will work for local solutions, IMO.
Rob Jackson
12:34 pm on Saturday, November 12, 2011
Chap Petersen & Steve Shannon held out against Mark Warner's tax increases to get a better deal on school funding for Fairfax, but too many Democrats & others put Warner first over Fairfax & pushed for the tax increases. Chap & Steve's legs were cut off at the knees. Every senate and house candidate from Fairfax County should pledge not to vote for any bill sending more money to Richmond. We likely cannot stop what is law today, but we can stop making it worse.
Will Radle
4:13 pm on Saturday, November 12, 2011
My plan, vetted by state and local budget directors, directly benefits 135 of 136 localities throughout Virginia. The plan increases the General Assembly's annual investment in Fairfax County and Prince William County by over $501 million and $99 million respectively without increasing taxes.
I originally presented the plan to our Board of Supervisors on March 29, 2011. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hynQxLUGKpM&feature=feedu
They have done nothing. Had we won the election on Tuesday, I would be advocating at the annual conference of the Virginia Association of Counties tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday.
The incumbent has no plan to unite local government leaders throughout Virginia to achieve fair treatment for Fairfax County taxpayers and students.
Thank you for letting me share.
A. Will Radle, Jr.
Creating a Culture of Listening
http://fairfaxstation.patch.com/blog_posts/creating-a-culture-of-listening