Alexandria Mayor Unseated by Anti-Growth Challenger
After serving four terms, Alexandria Mayor William Euille lost the Democratic primary on Tuesday to Vice Mayor Allison Silberberg, reportedly trailing by just 312 votes, or a little above 2%. The city's first African-American mayor had not faced a primary challenger since 2003, but this time he was up against two opponents and a slew of concerns about development along the waterfront. Among those concerns are stalled projects and a fear that planned building could detract from Alexandria's colonial vibe, the Washington Post reports. Although Silberberg voted against the redevelopment plan, she says she's for development as long as it fits in with the character and scale of Old Town. She stuck to her guns, even rejecting donations from real estate entrepreneurs. But Euille still has a lot to be proud of, he says, noting such accomplishments as passing a redevelopment plan for the waterfront, picking a site for the Potomac Yard Metro Station, adding affordable housing above a Potomac Yard fire station, and bringing the National Science Foundation to Alexandria. He's also not ruling out a write-in candidacy in November. [WaPo]
