Republican Candidate Ken Reid Enters VA Senate Race In 37th District

TYSONS, VA — Ken Reid, a former Loudoun County supervisor and Leesburg council member, announced on Sunday that he was running to fill the 37th District seat in the Virginia Senate.

"I am running for State Senate to help advance the pro jobs, pro people agenda Gov. Glenn Youngkin has instituted in Virginia and roll back 'regressive' policies my Democrat opponent (an entrenched career politician) has supported," Reid said, in a letter to his supporters on Sunday.

The "entrenched career politician" Reid refers to is Sen. Chap Petersen, who kicked off his campaign Friday night in Vienna.

The Nov. 7 general election will be the first one that Virginia voters will be casting ballots in the redrawn House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate districts. For this reason, some incumbent candidates are running in differently numbered districts this year.

Petersen, for example, previously represented the 34th District, but now is facing a challenge from fellow Democrats Saddam Azlan Salim and Erika Yalowitz in the June 20 primary.

The new 37th District includes Fairfax City, Oakton, Vienna, Merrifield, Dunn Loring, Idylwood, Tysons and Falls Church.

"Many of us moved to Virginia from 'Blue states' to escape crime, lack of jobs, high taxes, congestion and demise," Reid said, in his letter to his supporters. "Yet, when the Democrats gained complete control of Richmond in 2020, they instituted many of the very same BAD policies that are causing California, Illinois, New York, New Jersey and Maryland to hemorrhage jobs and people."

A former member of the Leesburg Town Council and the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, Reid was a past member of the Northern Virginia Regional Commission, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Northern Virginia Workforce Investment Board, according to his campaign website. In addition to being a member of the Metro Washington Council of Governments-Region Forward Coalition, he served as its vice-chair in 2015.

Reid is also the author of "The 6 Secrets to Winning Any Local Election – and Navigating Elected Office Once You Win!: A Step-by-Step Guide to Campaigning and Serving in Public Office."

Patch reached out to Reid to ask him a few questions about his campaign. Here are his responses:

Patch: What is your primary motivation for choosing to run?

Reid: Every voter deserves a choice and they have had no choice since 2011 when Mr. Petersen defeated Gerarda Cullipher, who is now the GOP candidate for Clerk of Court.

How do you differentiate yourself from the other announced candidates (Petersen, Salim, Yalowitz)? What do you offer voters that's different?

I am a pragmatist and support appropriate investments in schools, transportation and other infrastructure. We still have a traffic congestion problem in our area and I am a leader in that regard. Having served in local elected office for 10 years, I also have my ear to the ground on the needs of municipal governments and hope to be a champion for the Town of Vienna, and cities of Fairfax and Falls Church, as well as the County Board, in Richmond.

Although Petersen is considered an "incumbent," this is a redrawn district. How do you see that as beneficial to your campaign?

Unsure at this point.

Related:

• Salim Defeats Petersen In Fairfax Democratic Committee Straw Poll Vote
• Petersen Touts Advocacy For Children, Elderly, Small Business
• Erika Yalowitz Third Democrat Running For VA Senate In 37th District
• Saddam Azlan Salim To Challenge Chap Petersen In June 20 Primary
• Gun Control, Reproductive Rights Top Priorities For Senate Candidate