Perspective on Partisanship in Town Elections

Patch has countless comments (and an April 28 letter) calling one group of 2012 Town candidates “democrat-controlled” or a “Democratic Slate” in our town’s non-partisan election. By charter, town elected offices are non-partisan. Candidates register as non-partisan. This is important. Many Federal employees live in Northern Virginia towns and are prohibited from participating in partisan politics, yet they can contribute significantly to local town governments. It is not a joke when party labels are loosely applied.

The Democratic Party has no official role in the 2012 Town election. Period. A group of 2012 town candidates combined resources and have had support from a town resident who is a master in marketing, as well as being separately involved in Democratic Party work. This has resulted in vastly exaggerated accusations and perceptions of partisanship.

People “wear different hats.” When Town citizens focus on Town issues and operations in a climate of civility and cooperation, party associations disappear and all of us can focus on Town initiatives.  

One accusation cited in the original Patch article about partisanship in town elections was: “That [non-partisanship] all changed in the 2010 Town election, and is being repeated on a grander scale in the current election."

To refresh memories and for the benefit of new Herndon residents: the MAY 2006 TOWN ELECTION WAS THE ACTUAL BEGINNING OF “a new disregard of non-partisan Town elections.” That election demonstrated extensive national Republican manipulation of a purportedly non-partisan local race.

The Town’s 2006 elections were, in effect, hijacked by extremists and “anti-illegal immigration” interests in Loudoun County and by national groups and media opportunists. Town residents share many U.S. immigration concerns and opinions and actions are important to the extent of local charters.

Sadly, in 2006, overwhelming outside interests were invited to participate in the Town election by a few Town residents, who put narrow ideologies over Town loyalties and gave away our precious Town sovereignty.

When a Worker Center for day laborers was established to clear our streets, opponents in town and nearby invited NATIONAL Republican extremists into Town issues. Some specific intruders were Nathan and Linda Muller, Tom Tancredo, Arizona immigration activist Erin Anderson; groups included ForTheCause, FAIR, and Judicial Watch. Also involved were state, regional, and nearby county groups Right Wing Watch, novatownhall, elected officials, and others. Town elections were discussed widely at all levels by commentators, in right-wing extremist blogs, and on many conservative websites, as well as in mainstream media. Herndon became national news.

Loudoun County Supervisor Delgaudio (R–Sterling), his Loudoun lackeys and town operatives worked tirelessly. In 2012, the national group that Supv. Delgaudio heads, Public Advocate, was listed as a hate group by the SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) for its “anti-gay” positions. Whether you agree with that or not, HATE IS NOT HELPFUL.

A Connection newspaper article reported about the no-longer-non-partisan local town election, as did the Times, Observer, and Washington Post. Some references: http://www.loudoundemocrats.org/?p=39

The conservative NovaTownHall 20 June 2006 meeting featured the illegal immigration topic and the Herndon town election that they hoped would close the interfaith day labor center. The meeting’s top speaker was Nathan Muller. The Mullers, of Loudoun County, founded the national “ForTheCause” group and led other fear-and hate-mongering efforts on a national level. Yes, a man who also lived in Loudoun at the time had proposed a day labor center (at least he did work in town). The Mullers are national political pros and they had a mission. They were not local hometown folks rallying together for a cause.

IN 2006 AND 2008:

> LONGTERM OUTSIDE PUPPETEERING was key to the outcomes of town elections and it continued into 2010, though certainly without the high level of national attention.

> Forces driving town elections included many town residents, but many were outsiders

> Many town residents cared about a whole range of local Town policies and operations and were aghast at the level of outside partisan play-making

> Many town residents were drawn—by fear and by local situations—into primarily caring about immigration issues and into the snares of “ForTheCause”

> It turned out okay to have 287(g)—administered judiciously by our Herndon Police Department—for dangerous criminal aliens, as intended. However, some citizens were unhappy that 287(g) is not intended for all without papers (a civil offense) and did not result in "roundups." But it is serving a purpose.

Starting with the 2006 election, Herndon was used and controlled by outside partisans to an unprecedented degree.

IN 2010, town citizens elected a more balanced group of representatives. Though clear outside partisan support continued for those with emphasis on immigration issues, it was a start back to a normal hometown feeling. Hopefully we can restore that quality more fully.

IN 2012, we must put our Town first. We have an opportunity to elect candidates with differing individual experiences and views–WHO CAN WORK TOGETHER FOR THE GOOD OF THE TOWN. Of course local candidates might have help from friends who also have partisan interests. So what? Each of us has to identify which candidates we think are proven “puppets” and which are not…then evaluate their other attributes and VOTE.

The accompanying PDF material is intended to provide an overview of political forces in our small town during 2006 and on into today.  Objective: that more residents know what can happen when divisive forces take over our small town and learn to avoid that type of extreme situation in the future.

NOW a majority of town residents just want to get back to TOWN business with all of us working together.

Let’s reject the venom that divides people, “call it even” between residents with partisan agendas, and move forward on common ground.

In 2012, we need to renew Herndon’s commitment to town sovereignty and to the non-partisan offices that sustain our hometown quality of life.  
 

- John M. De Noyer (Town resident since 1983) & Ann H. Csonka (Town resident since 1971)

John served on the Town Council from 1988 to 2002, as Vice Mayor 1990-92 and in 2002. Both have been served in various Town organizations and initiatives.