Candidate Profile: James Lewis For Alexandria City Council

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Alexandria's Democratic primary will choose the Democratic nominees for the six City Council seats along with mayor during the June 18, 2024 election.

Democratic candidates who win in the primary will go on to the general election for the six City Council seats. Candidates are Councilmembers John Taylor Chapman, Canek Aguirre, Sarah Bagley and Kirk McPike; Alexandria School Board members Jacinte Greene and Abdel Elnoubi; Alexandria Traffic and Parking Board chair James Lewis; Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority commissioner Kevin Harris; former magistrate Charlotte Scherer; nonprofit leader Jesse O'Connell and progressive tax policy staffer Jonathan Huskey.

The City of Alexandria will have the Democratic City Council and mayoral primaries, along with a Republican primary for U.S. Senate.

SEE ALSO: Mayoral, City Council Primaries 2024: Early Voting To Begin In Alexandria

Early voting for the general election began on May 3 and continues through June 15. More information on how to vote is available from the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration & Elections.

Patch asked candidates for Alexandria City Council and mayor to fill out a candidate questionnaire with the same questions. Here are James Lewis's responses:

Name

James "Jimmy" Lewis

Office Sought

Alexandria City Council

Campaign Website

www.jameslewisva.com

Age (As of June 18 election)

36

Education

Master of Strategic Studies, US Army War College; Bachelor of Science, Biology & International Relations, College of William & Mary

Occupation

Sr. Director of Policy & Advocacy

Family

Husband, Trevor Riley

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

I'm a former senior Hill staffer (6.5 years) and grew up in a political, union family

Previous public office positions or appointments

Traffic & Parking Board, Chairman; Transportation Commissioner (3 years), Alexandria/Caen Sister City Committee

Why are you seeking this office?

Alexandria is a great place to live and we need to keep it that way. I want to keep us moving forward in a progressive, welcoming and kind way.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidate(s) seeking this post?

I have experience working directly with staff to implement real, life-saving policies as chair of the Traffic and Parking Board. We've been doing the hard work of implementing Vision Zero and our work is paying dividends. We reached a milestone in 2023: no traffic fatalities; but our work isn't done, there was tragically one already this year and still too many close calls.

What do you see as the top issues facing your city, and how do you address them in your campaign platform?

The top issue is growing our economic base to pay for the services our community needs and deserves. With more than 80% of the tax burden on residents, we need to expand and diversify our commercial base to reduce the burden on homeowners and renters, alike.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

At the Traffic and Parking Board, we've been doing the hard work, going block-by-block, intersection-by-intersection, working with neighbors to make our roads safer for everyone. That's how I've gotten to know this community and love it more. It's also how I'll lead: working with neighbors to solve the problems facing their community.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Another of my priorities is mental health. We need to ensure that our public health planning includes mental and behavioral health as more than a footnote. We need to ensure adequate services for everyone, especially our young people and older Alexandrians.