Primary Tuesday for 44th House of Delegates Seat

PHOTO (left to right): Justin Brown, Paul Krizek; photos of candidates courtesy of campaigns.

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Two Democrats are vying for the 44th District seat (see map) held by Del. Scott Surovell, who announced his run for the state Senate seat of Sen. Toddy Puller; Surovell announced his run for the seat after Puller announced her retirement.

Voters in Fairfax County head to the polls Tuesday from 6 a.m. - 7 p.m. In Greater Alexandria, residents will vote for a Democratic nominee for the 45th and 44th districts in the House of Delegates.

See a map here of the 45th District and here for the 44th District.

The Fairfax County elections office warns that public schools are still in session. If your poll is at a school location, please be cautious when driving in that area, especially in the morning and afternoon when buses are unloading or loading and the students are walking or being dropped off.

Only registered voters in the 44th Delegate District, 45th Delegate District, Mason Supervisor District and Mt. Vernon Supervisor District are eligible to vote in the Democratic Party Primary Elections.

To determine whether you are registered to vote in these districts, please visit the Virginia State Board of Elections website, or call the county elections office at 703-222-0776. Please note that there will be no Republican Party Primary Elections held in Fairfax County.

44th District

The two Democrats who are running for the 44th District are Justin Brown and Paul Krizek.

Justin Brown describes himself as a family man, war veteran and staff director of the House Veteran Affairs Committee. See more about his candidacy on his campaign Web site.

Paul Krizek launched his campaign for state delegate with the help of six local elected officials at a packed house with more than 50 supporters.

Krizek was endorsed strongly by Surovell. Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-30) also spoke on his behalf. Other officials attending included Del. Mark Sickles (D-43), Del. Eileen Filler-Corn (D-41), Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-49), and chair and Lee District member of the Fairfax County School Board, Tamara Kaufax.

“I want to tell you three things about Paul,” Surovell said. “He has a huge heart, he empathizes with people; he is a tireless worker; and he is passionate about what he believes in.”

Puller told Krizek and Surovell that although she may not be voting anymore after this term. “I will be watching you.” She introduced Krizek by saying, “Here is our guy.”

Krizek spoke of his many years of experience on other local campaigns and his work as a legislative assistant for former Congressman Jim Moran, then ran through a series of some of the issues he would pursue in the legislature: ethics reform, maintaining and adding to the affordable housing stock, gun safety, preventing police profiling, increasing affordable housing, environmental protection, and ridding Rte 1 of car title lenders, which he said “are now more ubiquitous than 7-11s.”

He pointed to his deep roots in the Mt Vernon community, having attended community public schools and lived here for 40 years. For the past 16 years, he has been Counsel and Vice President of Christian Relief Services Charities, a $50 million dollar humanitarian organization that is headquartered in the 44th district.