The political environment has heated up dramatically this month, with voting already underway for the statewide referendum in Virginia that would temporarily redraw U.S. congressional districts, with prospective candidates announcing their runs for what would be a new 7th District if the referendum passes, and with anti-war sentiment peaking in the wake of Trump’s bombing campaign against Iran.
In Falls Church, voting on the referendum that began just last Friday drew 242 early in-person voters at the Registrar’s office at City Hall, and another 141 ballots received by mail as of midday this Wednesday (March 11). The voting will continue through April 14.
Meanwhile, Indivisible group organizers of the No Kings demonstrations that drew huge turnouts last year are well into building for this month’s major day of national demonstrations on Saturday, March 28. The effort will include a rally next Saturday (March 21) at the intersection of Little Falls and Park Avenue across from City Hall and the weekly Farmers Market in downtown Falls Church where the public is urged to show up and make No Kings signs or buttons from 10 a.m. to noon.
Then from 11 to 12:30 p.m. the group will host a car decorating event and contest, followed by an informal car parade around Falls Church to advertise the following weekend’s major No Kings rally. Location of that event can be found on the Falls Church Indivisible website.
All this is in advance of the major March 28 “Hands Across Falls Church” rally that will bring out people lining Broad Street (Rt. 7) its full length in Falls Church from Haycock Road in the West to Roosevelt Street in the East. Contests will be held for the best signs, best costumes (for people and dogs) and best decorated cars.
As the early voting began last Friday on the Virginia statewide referendum to allow redistricted boundaries for U.S. Congressional districts in response to Trump moves in that direction around the U.S., members of Virginia’s congressional delegation issued a statement this week condemning deceptive mailers targeting Black voters on the issue.
The Joint Statement from Members of Virginia’s Congressional Delegation Condemning Deceptive Mailers Targeting Black came in response to offensive and deceptive advertising being distributed by a MAGA-aligned group targeting Black voters, Representatives Bobby Scott, Don Beyer, Jennifer McClellan, Suhas Subramanyam, Eugene Vindman, and James Walkinshaw released the following joint statement:
“We strongly condemn the deceptive and offensive mailers being sent to Black voters across Virginia by a MAGA-aligned group opposing the April 21 referendum.
These mailers misuse imagery from the Civil Rights Movement and even invoke Jim Crow — weaponizing one of the darkest chapters in our nation’s history in an attempt to scare voters and manipulate the outcome of this election. This kind of tactic is shameful and has no place in Virginia.
“Across the country, Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans are pushing a national power grab to tilt the 2026 midterm elections and secure a House majority that would allow them to continue rolling back the progress generations fought for during the Civil Rights Movement. Virginia’s referendum is a direct response to those efforts — giving voters the power to push back and ensure the 2026 midterms are decided by voters, not politicians manipulating our elections.”
Should the referendum pass next month, the redrawn districts include the 7th District that would include the City of Falls Church and be the only one the 11 districts in the state without an incumbent congressman.
In the wake of that, there have already been a number of individuals who have announced their intentions to run in a Democratic primary in August, should the referendum pass.
The latest entry who announced this week is Dorothy McAuliffe, a former Biden State Department official and first lady of Virginia. State Del. Dan Helmer, D-Fairfax, and former federal prosecutor J.P. Cooney have announced their campaigns, as well, and others are expected to announce in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, with the annual legislative session wrapping up in Richmond, Falls Church’s two representatives there, State Del. Marcus Simon and State Sen. Saddam Salim, are slated to appear at the monthly luncheon of the Falls Church Chamber of Commerce next Tuesday, March 17, at the Italian Cafe.
