Virginia's 8th congressional district election, 2010
Encyclopedia
Virginia's 8th congressional district election, 2010 was an election held to determine who would represent Virginia's 8th congressional district
in the United States House of Representatives
during the 112th Congress
. The seat contested is located in Northern Virginia
, and includes part of Fairfax County, the city of Alexandria
, and the entirety of Arlington County
. The 8th district had been represented by 10-term Democratic incumbent Jim Moran
since 1990. Moran was re-elected to an eleventh term in the November 2, 2010 general election.
incumbent Jim Moran had won the 8th congressional district in every election since 1990. The district usually favors Democratic candidates, and was won by Al Gore
in 2000, John Kerry
in 2004, and Barack Obama
in 2008 by margins sometimes approaching twenty points. Moran has defeated every Republican challenger in similarly large victories.
One Democrat, Ronald Mitchell, filed to challenge Moran for the Democratic nomination and raised over $9,000, but failed to collect the minimum number of signatures required to be placed on the ballot and Moran was nominated. The Republican Party
nomination was contested by attorney and former Federal Communications Commission
general counsel
Matthew Berry
and retired U.S. Army Colonel
Patrick Murray
. Several other candidates had announced their intent to run, including 2008 nominee Mark Ellmore, but they all dropped out at different times, leaving the race to Berry and Murray. Murray narrowly won the June 8th Republican primary by a margin of 52%-48%.
Independent Green candidate and retired U.S. Navy Captain Ron Fisher was also on the ballot in 2010. He took two percent of the popular vote in 2008, and received 2,700 (1.41%) in 2010.
Democratic Committee on October 6, 2010:
Murray told the Daily Caller that the comments insulted veterans and active duty armed service members. "To say military service isn’t public service is startling verbage," Murray said. "For someone who sits on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to disparage military service is amazing to me". Moran's campaign responded in a press release that "The point Congressman Moran was making is that Northern Virginia is a region that prides itself on local civic engagement – serving in the PTA, on local boards, working with non-profits to help those less fortunate and also serving in elected office. Because Murray has virtually no ties to our community – moving here a scant 18 months ago in order to run for Congress – it is difficult to see how he can adequately represent Northern Virginia".
Moran defended his performance as a member of congress, saying in an interview with The Washington Post
that "The message is that our unemployment rate is half what it is in the rest of the country. We've been judged the best place to ride out the recession... We have the strongest economy in the country, so we don't want to do a whole lot different than what we've been doing." He also attacked his opponent's views on social issues; saying that Murray's opposition to abortion
and same-sex marriage
was "out of the mainstream in Northern Virginia".
Polling of the campaign suggested that Moran would win in every instance, but the Murray campaign remained hopeful; an internal polling showed Moran leading with 32.3 percent compared with Murray’s 29.7 percent. 30.5 percent were shown to be undecided. A September 22 poll conducted by McLaughlin & Associates found Moran’s support at below 50 percent, with only 42 percent of those polled rating him as good or excellent and 41 percent rating him as fair or poor. "Although he currently leads Patrick Murray on the ballot for U.S. Congress, his favorable rating, job rating and vote share fall short of the thresholds for strong incumbents," pollster John McLaughlin wrote in a memo to the Murray campaign. "Given voters’ dissatisfaction with Jim Moran’s performance as congressman and the current mood of the electorate, Jim Moran is one Democrat incumbent that could be unseated in November."
and several other Virginia Democratic incumbents losing their races. In his victory speech Moran said that "The politics of divisiveness and fear have gained ground on hope. We can make no mistake: the next two years are going to be very difficult". Moran also took a few final jabs at his defeated opponent, saying that the combined “lack of civic engagement” and “extremist Tea Party views” doomed Murray's candidacy.
Patrick Murray left open the possibility of another run in his concession speech: "We fought the best fight that's ever been fought in a very tough district, I think what we have here is a huge movement. So what we did is built a foundation, and we'll be back."
Moran refused Murray's concession call, according to Murray campaign manager Mike Lane. Lane said he placed a call to Moran's campaign manager at 8:39 pm, and heard someone ask Moran if he wanted to talk to Murray. Moran responded, 'No, I don't want to talk to him," and three minutes later Moran's camp hung up.
Official campaign sites
Virginia's 8th congressional district
Virginia's Eighth Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The residents of the 8th District are currently represented by Democratic Congressman Jim Moran, first elected to the 8th's seat in the U.S...
in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
during the 112th Congress
112th United States Congress
The One Hundred Twelfth United States Congress is the current meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It convened in Washington, D.C. on January 3, 2011, and will end on January...
. The seat contested is located in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
, and includes part of Fairfax County, the city of Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, and the entirety of Arlington County
Arlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
. The 8th district had been represented by 10-term Democratic incumbent Jim Moran
Jim Moran
James Patrick "Jim" Moran, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in Northern Virginia and includes the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria, all of Arlington County, and a portion of Fairfax County.Jim Moran was...
since 1990. Moran was re-elected to an eleventh term in the November 2, 2010 general election.
Background
Former mayor of Alexandria and DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
incumbent Jim Moran had won the 8th congressional district in every election since 1990. The district usually favors Democratic candidates, and was won by Al Gore
Al Gore
Albert Arnold "Al" Gore, Jr. served as the 45th Vice President of the United States , under President Bill Clinton. He was the Democratic Party's nominee for President in the 2000 U.S. presidential election....
in 2000, John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
in 2004, and Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
in 2008 by margins sometimes approaching twenty points. Moran has defeated every Republican challenger in similarly large victories.
One Democrat, Ronald Mitchell, filed to challenge Moran for the Democratic nomination and raised over $9,000, but failed to collect the minimum number of signatures required to be placed on the ballot and Moran was nominated. The Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
nomination was contested by attorney and former Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
general counsel
General Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
Matthew Berry
Matthew Berry (politician)
Matthew B. "Matt" Berry is a Republican Party politician and attorney. He challenged Military veteran Patrick Murray in the 2010 Republican primary election in Virginia's 8th congressional district, a Congressional seat in Northern Virginia currently held by 10-term Democratic incumbent Jim Moran...
and retired U.S. Army Colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
Patrick Murray
Patrick Murray (politician)
Patrick Murray is a retired United States Army Colonel and Virginia politician who ran for the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 8th congressional district in 2010 and is running for the same seat again in 2012.-Early life:...
. Several other candidates had announced their intent to run, including 2008 nominee Mark Ellmore, but they all dropped out at different times, leaving the race to Berry and Murray. Murray narrowly won the June 8th Republican primary by a margin of 52%-48%.
Independent Green candidate and retired U.S. Navy Captain Ron Fisher was also on the ballot in 2010. He took two percent of the popular vote in 2008, and received 2,700 (1.41%) in 2010.
Democratic nomination
- Jim MoranJim MoranJames Patrick "Jim" Moran, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1991. He is a member of the Democratic Party. The district is located in Northern Virginia and includes the cities of Falls Church and Alexandria, all of Arlington County, and a portion of Fairfax County.Jim Moran was...
, 10-term incumbent U.S. Representative - Ronald Mitchell, failed to collect enough signatures to force a primary with Moran.
Republican nomination
- Matthew BerryMatthew Berry (politician)Matthew B. "Matt" Berry is a Republican Party politician and attorney. He challenged Military veteran Patrick Murray in the 2010 Republican primary election in Virginia's 8th congressional district, a Congressional seat in Northern Virginia currently held by 10-term Democratic incumbent Jim Moran...
, attorney and former general counsel of the Federal Communications CommissionFederal Communications CommissionThe Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
. - Patrick MurrayPatrick Murray (politician)Patrick Murray is a retired United States Army Colonel and Virginia politician who ran for the United States House of Representatives from Virginia's 8th congressional district in 2010 and is running for the same seat again in 2012.-Early life:...
, retired U.S. Army ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
. - Mark Ellmore, the Republican nominee in 2008, announced in November of 2009 that he would challenge Moran again. He dropped out of the race in March 2010 and supported Murray.
- Laurence Socci, dropped out of the race prior to the April filing deadline and supported Berry.
- Will Radle, left the race before the April 9 filing deadline. Briefly considered running as an Independent, before supporting Murray.
Results
Polling
| Source | Dates Administered | Jim Moran (D) | Patrick Murray (R) | Undecided/Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pollster unavailable, results via the Washington Post | October 2010 | 58% | 31% | 11% |
| McLaughlin & Associates | September 2010 | 45% | 32% | 23% |
Campaign
The 8th district election received national attention in October of 2010 because of remarks Moran made at a meeting of the Arlington CountyArlington County, Virginia
Arlington County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The land that became Arlington was originally donated by Virginia to the United States government to form part of the new federal capital district. On February 27, 1801, the United States Congress organized the area as a subdivision of...
Democratic Committee on October 6, 2010:
"What [Republicans] do is find candidates, usually stealth candidates, that haven’t been in office, haven’t served or performed in any kind of public service. My opponent is typical, frankly."
Murray told the Daily Caller that the comments insulted veterans and active duty armed service members. "To say military service isn’t public service is startling verbage," Murray said. "For someone who sits on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee to disparage military service is amazing to me". Moran's campaign responded in a press release that "The point Congressman Moran was making is that Northern Virginia is a region that prides itself on local civic engagement – serving in the PTA, on local boards, working with non-profits to help those less fortunate and also serving in elected office. Because Murray has virtually no ties to our community – moving here a scant 18 months ago in order to run for Congress – it is difficult to see how he can adequately represent Northern Virginia".
Moran defended his performance as a member of congress, saying in an interview with The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
that "The message is that our unemployment rate is half what it is in the rest of the country. We've been judged the best place to ride out the recession... We have the strongest economy in the country, so we don't want to do a whole lot different than what we've been doing." He also attacked his opponent's views on social issues; saying that Murray's opposition to abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
and same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
was "out of the mainstream in Northern Virginia".
Polling of the campaign suggested that Moran would win in every instance, but the Murray campaign remained hopeful; an internal polling showed Moran leading with 32.3 percent compared with Murray’s 29.7 percent. 30.5 percent were shown to be undecided. A September 22 poll conducted by McLaughlin & Associates found Moran’s support at below 50 percent, with only 42 percent of those polled rating him as good or excellent and 41 percent rating him as fair or poor. "Although he currently leads Patrick Murray on the ballot for U.S. Congress, his favorable rating, job rating and vote share fall short of the thresholds for strong incumbents," pollster John McLaughlin wrote in a memo to the Murray campaign. "Given voters’ dissatisfaction with Jim Moran’s performance as congressman and the current mood of the electorate, Jim Moran is one Democrat incumbent that could be unseated in November."
Fundraising
| Candidate (Party) | Receipts | Disbursements | Cash On Hand | Debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jim Moran (D) | $1,312,117 | $1,376,173 | $424,891 | $0 |
| Patrick Murray (R) | $446,468 | $442,922 | $3,546 | $45,000 |
| Source: Federal Election Commission Federal Election Commission The Federal Election Commission is an independent regulatory agency that was founded in 1975 by the United States Congress to regulate the campaign finance legislation in the United States. It was created in a provision of the 1975 amendment to the Federal Election Campaign Act... |
||||
Results
Moran easily won reelection on November 2, 2010; despite Republicans taking over the House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and several other Virginia Democratic incumbents losing their races. In his victory speech Moran said that "The politics of divisiveness and fear have gained ground on hope. We can make no mistake: the next two years are going to be very difficult". Moran also took a few final jabs at his defeated opponent, saying that the combined “lack of civic engagement” and “extremist Tea Party views” doomed Murray's candidacy.
Patrick Murray left open the possibility of another run in his concession speech: "We fought the best fight that's ever been fought in a very tough district, I think what we have here is a huge movement. So what we did is built a foundation, and we'll be back."
Moran refused Murray's concession call, according to Murray campaign manager Mike Lane. Lane said he placed a call to Moran's campaign manager at 8:39 pm, and heard someone ask Moran if he wanted to talk to Murray. Moran responded, 'No, I don't want to talk to him," and three minutes later Moran's camp hung up.
External links
- VA - District 8 from OurCampaigns.com
- Race ranking and details from CQ PoliticsCongressional QuarterlyCongressional Quarterly, Inc., or CQ, is a privately owned publishing company that produces a number of publications reporting primarily on the United States Congress...
- Campaign contributions from OpenSecrets.orgCenter for Responsive PoliticsThe Center for Responsive Politics is a non-profit, nonpartisan research group based in Washington, D.C. that tracks money in politics and the effect of money and lobbying activity on elections and public policy and maintains a public online database of its information.Their database...
- Jim Moran's Record
Official campaign sites