By Uriah Kiser
Stafford, Va. – With his family and closest friends surrounding him at his home in Stafford, Mark Dudenhefer accepted his new job as Virginia Delegate to represent the newly shifted 2nd House District in Prince William and Stafford counties.
During the decennial redistricting process, population changes prompted the shifting of the 2nd House District from southwest Virginia to the Potomac Communities. Now Dudenhefer, 59, and the current Stafford County Board of Supervisors Chairman, is the new kid on the block.
“A 59-year-old freshman. I don’t know how that feels. I haven’t had time to process it yet,” said Dudenhefer.
While Dudenhefer won the overall vote because of a strong Republican base in Stafford County, his Democratic opponent Esteban Garces won Prince William with 55 percent of the vote in eight precincts in that county. Dudenhefer won 67 percent of the vote in Stafford County, and said he’ll make it a priority to continue to get to know voters in Prince William.
“We knew from the start that was going to be a weakness for us because I’m just not known there, but I’m known here in Stafford. I think once the people [in Prince William] know what I’m capable of doing, and what I will do, they’ll warm up to me,” said Dudenhefer.
Garces, 30, conceded to his opponent at a Democratic gathering in Woodbridge. He spoke highly of Dudenhefer and his family, and he gave the victor some advice to represent the voters who didn’t vote for him in this election.
“He needs to take an open mind to Richmond, and he says that’s what he is going to have as a delegate. It was a hard-fought race, I enjoyed our debates, I learned quite a bit from him and it was an experience I was glad to be apart of,” said Garces.
When Dudenhefer gets to Richmond, he says improving transportation in the Potomac Communities will continue to be his focus.
“The one issue is the road that connects us, along the 95 corridor, that many of us take from Stafford to Washington, D.C. every day. And that hasn’t changed,” said Dudenhefer.
A retired Marine Colonel, Dudenhefer was elected to the Stafford Board in 2006. Since then he has campaigned on improving transportation in the region as well as keeping taxes low.
While on the Board, Dudenhefer saw the expansion of Quanitico Corporate Center in North Stafford, a reduction in county tax bills and added funding to public schools.
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