Foust Top Spender in 2011 Fairfax Supervisor District Races

Dranesville Supervisor John Foust (D) spent more in his reelection bid in November than his other supervisor colleagues.

Foust spent $325,133. He won all 29 precincts in Dranesville, garnered more than 15,000 votes and received 60 percent of the note, according to final campaign spending figures released this week by the Virginia Public Access Project. VPAP is a nonprofit organization that tracks Virginia campaign spending for  residents.

His opponent, former Herndon council member Dennis Husch (R), spent $41,393, won nearly 10,000 votes and garnered nearly 40 percent of the vote, according to VPAP figures.

"I love the job and was determined to win re-election," Foust said. "I was running against an opponent who had been elected to the Herndon Town Council eight times and I did not take him or my re-election for granted.

"The fact that no Democrat had ever been re-elected Supervisor in the Dranesville District convinced me that I needed to work hard to get my record out to the voters," Foust said when asked about the spending.

Foust represents a district that is the most diverse in the county. The district encompasses newly arrived immigrants in Herndon, two GOP candidates running for president, a former vice-president of the United States, CEO's, current and retired federal employes. The district extends from Arlington County to Loudoun County.

Foust is one of nine supervisors that represents a specific district. Sharon Bulova, chair of the Board of Supervisors, an at-large seat spent $1.1 million. She ran against three opponents who together spent a combined total of less than $180,000, according to VPAP numbers.

The most hotly contested supervisor race was in the Braddock District where incumbent John Cook (R) beat back challenger Janet Sloate Oleszek (D). Their combined spending: $362,000.

. . of Foust's supervisor colleagues ran unopposed:  Patrick Herrity, Springfield; Catherine Hudgins, Hunter Mill; and Jeffrey McKay, Lee District

Here's the total campaign spending for each of the 10 supervisors.

BOARD CHAIR
Sharon Bulova: $1,116,356
 
SUPERVISOR DISTRICTS
Braddock: John Cook - $201,858
Dranesville: John Foust - $325,133
Hunter Mill: Catherine Hudgins - $50,632
Lee: Jeff McKay - $111,730
Mason: Penelope Gross - $166,389
Mount Vernon: Gerry Hyland - $246,518
Providence: Linda Q. Smyth - $39,736
Springfield: Patrick Herrity - $212,747
Sully: Michael Frey - $148,199