Salim Defeats Petersen In District 37 Senate Race: Unofficial Results

FAIRFAX, VA — Saddam Salim, a Noakhali, Bangladesh-born, first generation Bengali-American defeated incumbent Sen. Chap Petersen in Tuesday's Democratic primary.

Salim will be the party's candidate on the Nov. 7 ballot in 37th District race for the Virginia Senate. He will face Republican Ken Reid, who announced his candidacy in April.

"I am truly humbled by the community that rallied to support me in this race," Salim said, in a statement issued late Tuesday by his campaign. "This was an incredible grassroots movement of constituents all across the district and we achieved this victory together. I look forward to being your Democratic nominee and continuing our fight for the issues that we care about: gun violence prevention, affordable housing, reproductive rights and so much more."

With all 50 precincts reporting, Salim received 10,049 votes (53.84 percent) compared to 8,616 (46.16 percent), according to unofficial results reported Wednesday morning by the Virginia Public Access Project and the Associated Press.

Petersen won all six precincts in his hometown on Tuesday night, pulling in a total of 1,667 votes (54.26 percent) compared to Salim's 1,405 (45.74 percent), according to the unofficial results released by the Fairfax City General Registrar. But that ultimately did not push him past Salim, who brought in more votes from precincts in Fairfax County and Falls Church.

Fairfax City (6 of 6 precincts reporting)

• Salim: 1,405 (45.74 percent)
• Petersen: 1,667 votes (54.26 percent)

Fairfax County (41 of 41 precincts reporting)

• Salim: 7,158 (53.75 percent)
• Petersen: 6,159 votes (46.25 percent)

Falls Church City (3 of 3 precincts reporting)

• Salim: 1,446 (65.29 percent)
• Petersen: 790 votes (34.71 percent)

On Wednesday morning, Petersen conceded, releasing the following statement to his supporters:

Friends and Virginians:

The results last night were not what we expected but that happens in a democracy. Congratulations to Saddam Azlan Salim who is the Democratic nominee in the 37th district.

My term in office and my season in politics is coming to a close. I want to thank everyone who helped me in any way along this long and winding journey, especially over the last six months. We ran a positive campaign for re-election based on my past record as a Senator. It didn't work this time and I will bear all responsibility.

I want to thank my Chief of Staff Kathy Neilson, who served this community for 16 years. I want to also thank my wife Sharon and our four children, who grew up in a public life but did not let it define them.

I love you very much. Chap.

This election cycle is the first time candidates are running in the newly redrawn districts. The 37th District includes the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, the Town of Vienna, and parts of Tysons, Oakton, and Merrifield.

Before Tuesday's Democratic primary, Patch asked each candidate in the race to fill out a questionnaire about their priorities if elected in November.

In his response to the questionnaire, Salim said that he would fight for more gun violence prevention legislation if elected.

"We need an assault weapons ban, we need stronger restrictions for gun sales and transfers, more safe storage restrictions, we need to fund and implement red flag laws and we need a ban on ghost guns," he said.

Salim also criticized Petersen for being too conservative on a number of Democratic Party priorities.

"He voted against raising the marriage age, a really baffling move, and he’s been reluctant to support LGBTQIA+ rights and reproductive rights," Salim said. "He sued a sitting Democratic governor during COVID and refused to acknowledge the role of masks in containing the virus during the pandemic — his rhetoric sounded more like Trump than a Democratic State Senator."

On Wednesday morning, Fairfax County Democratic Committee Chair Bryan Graham released a statement congratulating all the candidates who had won, including Salim. He added that FCDC's priority would be to focus on Democrats winning all 50 seats that are up for election in November.

“I personally thank every candidate who ran in the Democratic primary this year," he said. "Primaries allow us to choose the strongest candidates to lead us into the November elections.”

After the Associated Press declared Salim the winner in the District 37 race on Tuesday night, Reid sent an email to Patch, congratulating him on his victory.

"When the voters of this district learn what I stand for, and examine my record of 10 years of elected service and an additional 10 years advocating for better transportation solutions in Northern Virginia, I believe they will see me as the Sensible Choice to be the next State Senator from District 37," he said.

Reid called on Petersen's voters to support his campaign, warning them Salim's progressive ideals could result in the Fairfax County community becoming a failing “regressive” city like Baltimore or San Francisco.

"Mr. Salim advocates would be harmful to the Virginia economy, and thus, our quality of life," Reid wrote, in his email. "He also does not have the legislative background to represent the district in Richmond, especially the relationship between the municipalities and the General Assembly.

"Getting rid of right-to-work laws and imposing more government burdens on small business, allowing continued sexualized course material in public schools, weak law enforcement, and imposing further extremist environmental provisions on the populace, are not 'Progressive' policies, but 'regressive.' They will only serve to raise taxes and drive business out of Virginia, and with that, people will move and our schools quality will suffer with it."

Fairfax County voters cast ballots in a number of races on Tuesday. Here are the unofficial results, as reported by AP: