Local Republicans have their first candidate for a potential vacancy on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors.
Ken Balbuena, who bills himself as a “common sense community leader,” announced his candidacy today (Tuesday) for Braddock District supervisor — should incumbent James Walkinshaw win election to Congress.
“I am running to bring balance to the Board of Supervisors and to put People Before Politics,” Balbuena said in a press release. “People should be the top priority for the Board of Supervisors, not politicking or supporting only along party lines.”
A Springfield resident whose kids currently attend public schools in the Annandale High School pyramid, Balbuena has filled a variety of community roles. He served as president of the North Springfield Civic Association from 2014-2018, in addition to spending six years as a member of the Visit Fairfax board.
Balbuena has also chaired Fairfax County Public Schools’ Adult and Community Education Advisory Committee and was a member of the county’s Future of Lake Accotink Task Force, among other appointments.
“Adopting constituent-focused needs is the same approach I used as civic association president to unite our community, and I look forward to working together with you as the next Braddock District Supervisor,” Balbuena said.
Professionally, he has experience in marketing and consulting, currently working as a technical writer for the Herndon-based contractor Imperative Systems, according to his LinkedIn profile.
According to his campaign announcement, Balbuena’s top priorities in office include:
- Address the commercial vacancy rate to reduce the burden on residential taxpayers.
- Advance key Braddock District projects such as preserving Lake Accotink and fixing Braddock Road.
- Promote safe and inclusive neighborhoods through increased funding for first responders, community organizations, and nonprofits while supporting the military and our Federal workforce.
- Improve fiscal responsibility through more continuous collaboration with the School Board beyond the budget development process and greater advocacy for state funding.
- Restore confidence and trust in the Board of Supervisors to reassure those we represent that their voices are heard.
“The job of district supervisor is first and foremost one of serving the community,” former Braddock District Supervisor John Cook — Walkinshaw’s predecessor and a Republican — said in a statement. “I know of no one better in the Braddock District to fill that role than Ken Balbuena.”
“He knows the importance of on-the-ground issues like neighborhood speeding, financing local pools, and crime prevention,” Cook added. “He understands the balance needed between funding schools and necessary services and setting the property tax rate at a manageable level.”
Balbuena joins Ilryong Moon and Rachna Sizemore Heizer, both Democratic members of the Fairfax County School Board, as candidates in the currently unscheduled election.
Walkinshaw is vying with Republican Stewart Whitson to succeed the late Rep. Gerry Connolly as Virginia’s 11th Congressional District representative. If he were to win the special election on Sept. 9, he would be promptly sworn in to the U.S. House of Representatives, requiring his resignation from local office.
Walkinshaw’s potential resignation would trigger a 45-day period for the remaining board members to select a temporary placeholder, according to Virginia law. A special election would then be held, potentially as early as the previously scheduled general elections on Nov. 4.
