Politics & Government

Virginia House Elections: Kathleen Murphy Endorsed by VEA but Behind in Money Race

Democrat Kathleen Murphy earns a nod from the Virginia Education Association, but incumbent Del. Barbara Comstock (R-34th) is holding on to the money race and endorsements of her own.

By William Callahan

The race for the District 34 seat in Virginia's House of Delegates — likely to be one of the area's more closely watched races in the 2013 elections — is heating up.

Democrat Kathleen Murphy, who is running against Del. Barbara Comstock, the Republican incumbent who has held the seat since 2009, earned an endorsement from the Virginia Education Association last week.

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Murphy was one of several VEA endorsements in this year's race.Democrats Terry McAuliffe, Sen. Ralph Northam (D-Norfolk) and Mark Herring (D-Loudoun), were endorsed for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general, respectively.

The VEA recommended both Democratic and Republican House candidates whom the organization believes grasp the importance of public education.

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“Those who earned our recommendation realize that for Virginia to prosper, our public schools require our steadfast support,” said VEA President Meg Gruber in a statement. “Given the decline in the state’s funding of public education, it’s even more vital now that members of the General Assembly fight on behalf of Virginia students.”

In a release from her campaign, Murphy stressed the importance of public schools and the teachers who make them work.

“Every child in Virginia deserves an education that will allow him or her to compete I the 21st century economy,” Murphy said. “I look forward to working with the Virginia Education Association to ensure our teachers have the necessary resources to educate our children.”

Comstock has her own track record of education bills. 

In 2013, she helped author HB 1309a bill that would haverepealed the King's Dominion Law, allowing local school boards to set their own school calendars and authorizing them to start classes before Labor Day.

She also introduced HB 1556 on class sizes, which would change state code so class size would be calculated on a schoolwide — not divisionwide — basis. 

Both bills were left in education committee.

But Comstock is handily beating Murphy in the money race, with almost twice as much cash in her campaign chest.

On July 15, Comstock reported a campaign balance of $297,337 as of June 30, compared to Murphy’s $149,327, according to theVirginia Public Access Project (VPAP).

During that reporting period, Comstock’s campaign raised $323,946 and spent $144,984. She started the period with $118,376 in cash.

As a first-time challenger, Murphy lacked that cash balance but managed to raise $210,024, with expenses of $60,696.

The Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce’s Northern Virginia Business Political Action Committee (NOVABizPAC) recently endorsed Comstock in the race.

“She works hard for her constituents, and her leadership assures rail to Dulles is being built with cost-savings to the taxpayers,” said Scott McGeary, chair of the committee. “She is a strong advocate who works to protect and promote the interests of the entire Fairfax County community, the Fairfax Chamber, and its members and we look forward to continuing that relationship in the future.”


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