Saddam Azlan Salim To Challenge Chap Petersen In June 20 Primary

Updated (1:10 p.m.): This story was updated with a comment from Sen. Chap Petersen (D-34th)

FAIRFAX, VA — Saddam Salim officially announced his intention Tuesday morning to challenge Sen. Chap Petersen in the June 20 Democratic Party Primary for the State Senate seat in the 37th District.

Petersen currently represents the 34th District, but redrawn district lines go into effect for the Nov. 7 General Election, putting Petersen in the 37th District.

“Given the recent 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and more mass shootings that took place over the last week, it’s time that the residents of VA-37 had a senator who will fight for core Democratic values down in Richmond,” Salim said, on his campaign Twitter account. He also launched his campaign website on Tuesday.

"I welcome any competition," Petersen said, in an email to Patch on Tuesday. "I'm proud of our team's unique record of advocating on behalf of children, the elderly and small business, and I look forward to presenting that record to the voters."

Since 2020, Salim has served as a senior consultant with 11th Hour Service, which provides resource solutions such as financial reporting and project management in the public sector, according to his LinkedIn account. Prior to that, he worked for two years as a budget analyst for the U.S. Institute of Peace.

From February 2016 to January 2018, Salim worked as both a senior associate and staff member at Kearney & Company. Before that he worked at PenFed Credit Union for three years.

Salim earned a master's in public administration from from George Mason University's Schar School of Policy and Government, according to his LinkedIn profile. In 2022, he attended the University of Virginia Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service to participate in the Sorensen Institute for Police Leadership's Emerging Leaders Program.

Salim also holds a BS in public administration and an associate of arts degree from Northern Virginia Community College.

Since May 2021, Salim has served as co-state director for Virginia of the South Asians for America. Earlier this month, Salim became a board member of the Democratic Business Council of Northern Virginia.

A Bangladeshi-American, Salim is a Falls Church resident and has served as co-chair of the Providence District Democratic Committee, the Fairfax County Democrats Finance vice-chair, and the vice president of Fairfax Young Democrats.

Petersen has served in the State Senate since January 2008. He served previously in the House of Delegates from 2002-2006 and as a member of the Fairfax City Council from 1998-2002.

The new 37th District includes all of Fairfax City, as well as all or parts of Vienna, Dunn Losing, Merrifield, Oakton, Fair Oaks, Tysons, and Falls Church.

Voters will be heading to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 7, to choose candidates running for the Virginia House of Delegates, the Virginia Senate, the Commonwealth's Attorney, Clerk of the Fairfax Circuit Court, Fairfax County Sheriff, Chairman of Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, District Members of the Board of Supervisors, At-Large Members of the Fairfax County School Board, District Members of the School board, and Directors (vote for 3) of the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District.

Early voting for the June 20 Democratic Party primary begins on May 6. Voters must register by May 29 to be eligible to vote in the June 20 primary. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot for the Democratic primary is June 9.