Name:Â Gerald "Jerry" Foreman
Age: 52
Town of residence:Â Dumfries, Va.
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This Michael Futrell first time seeking political office and he hopes to unseat Republican incumbent Mark Dudenhefer on Election Day.
Futrell, a Democrat, seeks to represent the Virginia’s 2nd House District which includes portions of eastern Prince William County to northern Stafford County. Dudenhefer was the first to represent the district when it was created in 2011 following the state’s decennial redistricting processes.
Futurell says his leadership within the local Democratic Party, his work on the non-profit he founded “Make the Future,” and his business experience as a pharmaceutical sales representative would make him a natural leader.
Transportation
A key issues in the 2nd District is transportation. Both Interstate 95 and U.S. 1 run directly through the heart of the district, and many of its residents rely on these two roads to get them to work, school, and to play each day.
Futrell has called for the expansion of Metro rail from Springfield to Woodbridge, which would allow for more cars to be taken off area streets, he said. Sidewalks are another key to his transportation vision: the area needs more of them, he said.
He’s also eyeing more opportunities in public transportation to move more people around the entire district.
“There’s not one bus that runs between Prince William and Stafford County, and that is one thing I will look into – how to move more people between these two rapidly developing areas,” said Futrell.
Business and jobs
Much of his focus on transportation also says a lot about his policy on businesses. U.S. 1 must be improved in order to attract and sustain new businesses to the corridor.
While improvements are well underway and new shops are opening at places like Marumsco Plaza in Woodbridge, and U.S. 1 is being widened in two places in Woodbridge, he says business owners and community leaders need a stronger voice.
“We’ll invite business owners and community leaders to a newly created district council to hear from them, and to determine the jobs of the future and what development is needed here. We want include everyone to make sure we are bringing the development to the area,” he said.
Obamacare expansionÂ
When state legislators this year approved landmark transportation reform, with it came an planned expansion of Medicare in the state. Some conservatives, including Republican gubernatorial candidate and Attorney General Ken Cuccienlli have called for cutting back the Medicaid expansion.
Distancing himself from his opponent, Futrell supports it.
“This is a law that has already been passed and its something that we are going to pay for, so why not expand it,” he said.
His opponent says Medicaid, and by extension the Affordable Healthcare Act (Obamacare) needs to be revamped, revised, and updated, and has called for a review of it before the program is expanded in the state.
Education
Also following the legislative session this year, Gov. Robert F. McDonnell signed into law a measure that gives a letter grade to schools – A through F – to rate their performance. Futrell is not a fan of this grading system.
“If you give the school an overall failing grade, it doesn’t give them much encouragement to improve,” he said.
Futrell spend a year as a school teacher in Ohio before moving to Virginia to become a pharmaceutical sales rep.
Patricia Ann Trimble has a long history in city government. She has seen how both the Commissioners and Treasurers offices work and feels that she can use this information to better operate the revenue office for the people of Manassas Park.
“I am a very down to Earth person and I believe that city officials are here for the citizens,” Patty told Potomac Local News.
As the Commissioner of Revenue, Trimble said she would like to eliminate the windshield decal that all residents are supposed to have on their cars. Trimble said that the taxpayers would save money for the postage of the decals, the printing of forms for the decals and creation of the decal stickers. Since the police department in Manassas Park can now stop people who are in arrears on tax payment, Trimble said the decals are no longer necessary.
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Loree Williams has been a resident of Woodbridge  for over 30 years. She is running up against current incumbent Steve Keen for occupation of the Woodbridge seat on the Prince William County School Board. She says this election isn’t about competition; rather, it’s about bettering the schools.
“There are no enemies in this race,” she says. “Keen has served before and I think that he is a wonderful opponent and has done a great number of things for our county.”
Williams is a wife and mother with two sons, one who is currently attending a Prince William County school. She says this gives her the opportunity to offer a fresh perspective that is not currently being represented on the board.
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Delegate Jackson Miller, Republican representing the 50th district (Manassas and Prince William County) has served the Virginia House of Delegates since 2006. This year he is running for reelection against Democrat Richard Cabellos. He will continue to center his campaign on public safety, criminal justice and business.
As a former police officer for 17 years, he is experienced with issues of criminal justice and public safety. He is responsible for sponsoring legislation that would protect victim and witnesses of crimes by requiring that the defense attorney not be able to publically disclose the personal information of the victim and witnesses. He said this exemption is only currently intact for gang crimes. His bill would include victims and witnesses of drug crimes and violent felonies.
“A lot of people assume that a violent felon who has been charged that they would not have access to the victim or witness’s information, but in fact they do,” he says. “Right now we only allow it for serious gang crimes. We should allow it for all crimes.”
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Winifred “Winnie” O’Neal is the current treasurer of Manassas Park City. She first worked as a banker in Tidewater, Va. for over 12 years and after relocating to Manassas Park City she worked for the parks and recreation department as an aide. In 2008, she was appointed by City Council to serve as treasurer and then elected to serve her first official term in 2009. Her experience as the City’s Treasurer motivates her to want to continue serving Manassas Park.
“Now that I have some experience under my belt and I’ve taken some classes, I’ve gotten the office to a good position with our collection rates and customer service and I want to keep that going,” she says. In short, the City Treasurer works with the commissioner of revenue and is responsible for handling the tax collections and funds coming into the area.
“The commissioner of revenue basically assesses the taxes, hands the book over to us and we bill and collect the taxes,” says O’Neal. She says that many people don’t realize that a large part of the responsibilities of the treasurer’s office is tax collections.
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Mara Sealock, (D-Aquia) running for the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, is not the average candidate As a 21-year-old graduate of Marymount University, Sealock represents a stark contrast from her opponent, current incumbent since 2010, Republican Paul Milde III.
Sealock says that she found out about the open seat from Alane Callander, chairwoman on the Stafford Democratic Committee. She says she had worked with the committee before, volunteering at primaries and attending board of supervisor meetings.
“I started talking to people about the things I’ve learned while getting my degree in political science and a lot of the issues that came out within the county (were the same),” she said. “I spoke to Alane Callander and she told me the Democratic seat was open so I decided to go for it to reach out to the other voters in the community.”
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Pamuela Yeung, candidate for the Garrisonville seat on the Stafford County School Board, has been living in Virginia for over 30 years and in Stafford since 1983. She is originally from the Netherlands and speaks Dutch, Spanish, English and Portuguese. She says she was originally inspired to move to the county to raise her children in an area known to have an excelling academic environment. She says her background and experience will be a valuable attribute to the school board.
“I can bring the board diversity, a business and technology background, an opportunity for critical thinking and decision making and I could bring transparency and trust working with the board of supervisors,” she says. “I’m focused on continued growth and achievement and ensuring that the mission is to build students as leaders of tomorrow and provide resources for acceleration for improvement in needed areas.”
Yeung says she choose to run for the school board because she is looking for changes in the current school system.
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Holly Hazard, current incumbent of the Hartwood seat on the Stafford County School Board says her interest in the county and ensuring that students receive a good education is what motivates her to run for reelection in November. Hazard has two daughters who attend Stafford County Public Schools and is very involved in the schools in her community.
She says that being able to work locally and be visible and active in the schools is something that is valuable to the community and her role as a school board member.
“I believe part of a school member’s job is to be in the schools, active and visible and to promote the schools themselves, be a little bit of a cheerleader for the school system and for the students,” she says. “It gives you an insight of some of the challenges that are faced on a daily basis and how (the school board) can be helpful.”
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Reed Heddleston is the democratic candidate for the 51st VirgiiaHouse District, which includes Prince William County.
“This elction is going to be about choices,” said  Heddleston.
He's up against incumbent Richard Anderson, who has held the seat since 2010. Heddleston says there is a stark difference between his and his opponent’s overall approach in the upcoming General Election.
