Politics & Government
Democratic Nominee Chosen For 17th House District Special Election
Four candidates had sought the Democratic nomination for Del. Mark Sickles's Virginia House seat as he accepts a new state position.
FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — A Democrat nominee was chosen Sunday in a firehouse primary ahead of the special election to replace Del. Mark Sickles in southeastern Fairfax County.
Garrett McGuire was chosen as the 17th House District Democratic nominee through the Fairfax County Democratic Committee's firehouse primary. McGuire is a civic association president in Fair Haven who has also chaired the board of United Community and the Fairfax–Falls Church Community Services Board. Other nominees were Russell Brooks, Carla Bustillos and Joy McManus.
McGuire received 801 of the 2,356 votes cast, followed by McManus with 747, Bustillos with 536 and Brooks with 271.
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"Honored and grateful to be the Democratic nominee for House District 17," McGuire said after the firehouse primary. "Thank you to everyone who voted, volunteered, and believed in this campaign. I’m ready to get to work for Fairfax County and build on a strong legacy of service."
According to the Fairfax County Democratic Committee website, McGuire's top priorities are expanding the housing supply, reducing child care costs, addressing the increasing cost of living, protecting Medicaid, SNAP and other safety net benefits, and fully funding public education and protecting public schools from Trump administration attacks.
Find out what's happening in Old Town Alexandriafor free with the latest updates from Patch.
McGuire will move on to the Jan. 20 special election for the 17th House District. Longtime Del. Mark Sickles is resigning from the seat after his appointment as Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger's secretary of finance. The 17th House District includes communities like Franconia, Kingstowne, Huntington, Hayfield and part of Springfield south of the City of Alexandria and east of Interstate 95. The Virginia Public Access Project labels the district as strong Democratic.
On Saturday, the Fairfax County Republican Committee indicated it was looking for a candidate to run in the 17th House District race.
Voters in the 17th House District will find voting information from the Fairfax County Office of Elections.
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