Mediaboss Marketing

Karrie Delaney, Hannah Risheq and John Carey are competing in the Democratic primary for a House of Delegates seat in Fairfax County.

In these anti-establishment times in which Democrats still stunned by Donald Trump's surprise election to the presidency are searching for newness, Risheq is bringing up a potential negative about Delaney: She was registered as a Republican in Florida, where she previously lived.

House District 67 is held by moderate Republican Del. James M. LeMunyon of Fairfax. the district, which includes part of Loudoun County, went to Democrat Hillary Clinton in last year's presidential race. She won 58 percent of in-person voters, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Though turnout is much higher in a presidential election - boosting Democrats - whoever wins the Democratic primary will be gunning to upset LeMunyon, who's held the seat since 2010.

It's the female candidates who've been getting the most attention in the June 13th primary.

Delaney, 38, is a community activist and formerly worked for a nonprofit dedicated to ending sex trafficking. She's been endorsed by U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-11th and numerous state and local Democratic officials and has a solid ground game of volunteers for door-knocking and phone calls.

Delaney leads Democratic fundraising with $85,942 to $12,922 for Carey and $5,437 for Risheq as of the latest filing, according to VPAP.

Risheq, 25, a first-generation American of Arab and Jewish descent, was mentioned in an April story in Time about a new generation of grassroots Democratic candidates and was featured in a Huffpost story in April with the headline, "The Resistance gave birth to a girl and her name is Hannah Risheq."

Risheq recently earned a master's degree in social work and social policy from Columbia University - her second master's degree. She said she'd love to work in a bipartisan fashion in the General Assembly, but noted that she grew up in the Obama era when Congress refused to operate that way following passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.

She said Democratic primary voters aren't aware Delaney was once a registered Republican.

"Its OK if you were a Republican and then decided that you believe the Democratic platform, but its not OK to hide it," Risheq said. "I think its something that the voters should know. Voters should know about who theyre voting for."

The detail about Delaney's previous voter registration shows up in public records searches. Delaney was appointed to a city council seat in West Melbourne, Fla., in 2004. As of 2005 she was registered as a Republican in Florida. She lost election in November of that year to an anti-tax newcomer, 58 percent to 42 percent. In Virginia voters do not register by party.

Delaney declined to be interviewed. Her campaign manager, Will Van Nuys, issued a statement noting her support from Connolly, state Sen. Barbara A. Favola, D-Arlington, six Democratic delegates and three Democrats on the Fairfax Board of Supervisors.

"Congressman Connolly said, 'Karrie is uniquely qualified to stand up to Trumps hateful policies' and he's right. Karrie is determined to pass commonsense gun control laws, protect a woman's right to make her own health care decisions, stand up to Donald Trump's dangerous agenda, and be a voice for the people for Virginia's 67th District."

Carey, 42, is a consultant to auto dealer suppliers. He didn't respond to a request to talk about Delaney's prior voting registration, but an aide issued this statement:

"Voters demand accountability and transparency from their candidates. As a lifelong Democrat, John has been knocking on doors and making phone calls to talk to residents about the issues they're facing and we will be interested in her responses."

Go here to see the original:
In key Northern Virginia primary, Democrat raises her opponent's GOP past - Richmond.com