Strauss, Foust, Comstock, Favola Win

Dranesville Supervisor John Foust swept all 30 precincts as he handily won reelection to a second term in Tuesday's elections. Meanwhile Dranesville School Board member Jane Strauss won a hard-fought race with 51 percent of the vote.

State Sen. Janet Howell easily won reelection with 57 percent of the vote.

In the General Assembly races including McLean, Democrat Barbara Favola won the seat for the newly formed 31st Senate District while incumbent Barbara Comstock won reeelection to the 34th District House seat defeating McLean attorney Pamela Danner.

Bob Brink also won reelection running against two little-known independent candidates.

"I'm so looking forward to the next four years," Foust told about 100 of his supporters at a victory party at his home Tuesday evening. "I truly love this job."

"People didn't vote for me because I'm a Democrat, but because of the service we have given," he said surrounded by his campaign manager, family and staff.

Foust's challenger was Republican Dennis Husch, who former served on the Herndon City Council.

Newly elected Sen. Barbara Favola also stopped by the party. "I am delighted and humbled to be your state senator," she said. She defeated Republican businesswoman Caren Merrick, of McLean, who was running for the first time.

"Thank you for all our hard work. . . you all did it," Favola told the crowd of Democratic workers. "I will serve you to the best of my ability," said Favola who has served on the Arlington Board for nearly 15 years.

The Dranesville school board race was perhaps the cliffhanger as Strauss faced school advocate  Louise Epstein.

The school board contests across the county were some of most hotly contested in years because of anger at the arrogance of the administration of superintendent Jack Dale. Dale announcement his retirement in September that will become effective  when his contract ends in June 2013.

More than half the seats on the board had no incumbents  and teachers and parents called for reform.

Strauss, who has served for nearly 20 years on the board, faced a determined and negative campaign by Louise Epstein, a long-time school advocate. Epstein's campaign manager Catherine Lorenze also became a lighting rod for the campaign because of negative statements made against Strauss.

Stauss, who is now chairman of the school board, won with 51 percent of the vote.

Both the Fairfax Teachers Association and the Fairfax Federation of Teachers endorsed Epstein. FCFT President Steve Greenburg was a staunch support of Epstein. He attended her kickoff and applauded for her at public forums with the two candidates.