Fairfax Democrats won’t have to look far for a candidate to succeed Del. David Bulova (D-11) in the House of Delegates.
Gretchen Bulova will seek to replace her husband as the 11th House District’s delegate once he officially joins the cabinet of Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger next month, she told FFXnow.
A Democrat, Bulova currently chairs both the Fairfax County 250th Commission and the county’s History Commission. She has been employed as the director of Historic Alexandria since 2019.
“I am excited for this amazing opportunity for David … I am equally excited to run for the 11th District delegate seat,” Bulova said in a statement.
David Bulova, himself a 19-year veteran of the House of Delegates, was announced today (Thursday) as Spanberger’s pick for Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources.
The timeline to seat a new delegate is currently unknown, as Bulova’s resignation date is still being determined. Current House Speaker Don Scott is responsible for scheduling the special election to replace the incumbent, with local party committees then determining their own primary processes.
Bulova already has some competition for the 11th District. Former Fairfax City councilmember So Lim and America’s Voice Executive Director Vanessa Cardenas will also campaign for Bulova’s seat, which represents Fairfax City, plus parts of Oakton and Fair Oaks. All three will seek the Democratic nomination.
A three-term council member, Lim has run a small business in the area for more than 35 years and previously served as president of the Korean American Association of the Washington Metropolitan Area. In announcing her candidacy, she says her time on the city council was defined by her “ability to bring people together.”
“In Richmond, we need leaders who listen, who collaborate, and who respect different perspectives while delivering real results for our families, seniors, small businesses, and diverse neighborhoods,” Lim said in her announcement. “That is the leadership I bring, and that is how I have always served this community.”
As of press time, Cardenas hasn’t officially announced her candidacy yet, but Blue Virginia reported rumors that she would run, and she updated her Facebook cover photo just before 11:30 a.m. today with a banner for her campaign.
Fairfax City Mayor Catherine Read will not seek the seat, and instead has backed Bulova’s campaign.
“Gretchen has a deep knowledge of this district and the constituents here,” Read told FFXnow. “She shows up consistently, listens carefully and does the work. These things matter to me in an elected representative.”
The winner of the special election will serve the remainder of Bulova’s 10th term, which begins Jan. 14. He was reelected last month with 73% of the vote.
