The Alexandria Brief Podcast

Alison Virginia O'Connell is an independent candidate for the open Alexandria City Council seat in the April 21 special election. A community organizer who has lived and worked in Alexandria for about a decade, O'Connell is running on housing affordability, ethical investment screening for city funds, and getting ICE out of Alexandria.In this conversation with Alexandria Brief publisher Ryan Belmore, O'Connell talks about why she decided to run, her frustration with the lack of space for progressive issues in the Democratic primary, her platform on housing affordability, ethical investment screening for city funds, getting ICE out of Alexandria, the redistricting referendum also on the April 21 ballot, and what she's been hearing since her candidacy became public.Early voting begins Friday, March 6 at the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration and Elections, 132 North Royal Street. Election Day is April 21.Learn more about Alison Virginia O'Connell's campaign at avo4alx.com. Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe

Sandy Marks is the Democratic nominee for the open Alexandria City Council seat in the April 21 special election. A two-term former chair of the Alexandria Democratic Committee and advocacy communications specialist, Marks won the Democratic firehouse primary February 21 with 1,573 votes in a five-candidate field.In this conversation with Alexandria Brief publisher Ryan Belmore, Marks talks about why she got into the race, what she learned from the firehouse primary, her approach to decision-making on contentious issues like bike lanes and housing, ICE and Sheriff Casey's cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, the redistricting referendum also on the April 21 ballot, and what she's hearing from Alexandrians at the doors.Early voting begins Friday, March 6 at the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration and Elections, 132 North Royal Street. Election Day is April 21.Learn more about Sandy Marks's campaign at sandyforthecity.com. Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe

Frank Fannon is one of three candidates running for the open Alexandria City Council seat in the April 21 special election. A fourth-generation Alexandrian who served on council from 2009 to 2012, Fannon is running as an independent — a deliberate choice he says reflects his belief that local elections shouldn't be defined by national party politics.In this conversation with Alexandria Brief publisher Ryan Belmore, Fannon talks about why he's running again after more than a decade away from elected office, his opposition to the city's 2023 zoning changes that allow four-unit apartment buildings in single-family neighborhoods, his vision for transit-oriented development, the tension between the city council and school board, the redistricting referendum also on the April 21 ballot, and what he's hearing from voters on the campaign trail.Early voting begins Friday, March 6 at the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration and Elections, 132 North Royal Street. Election Day is April 21.Learn more about Frank Fannon's campaign at frankfannin.org. Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe

The Alexandria Brief and the Liberally Social Podcast team up to interview the five Democratic candidates competing in Saturday's City Council firehouse primary. Next up: Cesar Madison Tapia.In this episode:Cesar Madison Tapia discusses why he's running to bring young voices to the table, his three policy priorities — partnering with ACPS, affordability and transparency — and his journey from undocumented immigrant to Army veteran to middle school teacher. Plus: rapid-fire questions on pizza, astrology, Game of Thrones and his cats.About the candidate:Cesar Madison Tapia, 26, came to the United States as an undocumented immigrant at age 4 and later gained citizenship through the U.S. Army. He currently teaches middle school in D.C. and recently joined the city's Affordable Housing Advisory Committee. He has built a TikTok following of nearly 10,000 for political advocacy and founded the community organization Liberty Lens.Endorsements:Tapia has intentionally declined formal endorsements, describing his campaign as "people-driven."Learn more: madisontapiaforalx.comHow to vote Saturday, Feb. 21:In person: Beatley Library (5005 Duke St.) or Leonard "Chick" Armstrong Recreation Center (25 W. Reed Ave.), 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.Online: Must have registered by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20 at alexdems.orgThis episode is a collaboration between the Alexandria Brief and the Liberally Social Podcast. Produced by Anh Phan, Marta Schantz and Ryan Belmore. Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe

The Alexandria Brief and the Liberally Social Podcast team up to interview the five Democratic candidates competing in Saturday's City Council firehouse primary. Next up: Charles Sumpter.In this episode:Charles Sumpter discusses why he's running to make Alexandria more affordable for regular people, his four policy priorities — housing affordability, workforce pathways, sustainable infrastructure and transportation — and his idea for a "Climate Corps" to help communities build resilience. Plus: rapid-fire questions on pizza, karaoke, stress relief and astrology.About the candidate:Charles Sumpter grew up in the South Bronx and has lived in Alexandria for 16 years. He founded the nonprofit Safe Space NOVA and served as chair of the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS. He works as a consultant focused on human capital transformation. If elected, he would be the first Black gay member of the Alexandria City Council.Endorsements mentioned:Former Del. Mark Levine, former Arlington and Alexandria Gay and Lesbian Association president Bruce Hightower, and multiple HIV/AIDS commission chairs and community health advocatesLearn more: sumpterforvirginia.comHow to vote Saturday, Feb. 21:In person: Beatley Library (5005 Duke St.) or Leonard "Chick" Armstrong Recreation Center (25 W. Reed Ave.), 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.Online: Must have registered by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20 at alexdems.orgThis episode is a collaboration between the Alexandria Brief and the Liberally Social Podcast. Produced by Anh Phan, Marta Schantz and Ryan Belmore. Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe

The Alexandria Brief and the Liberally Social Podcast team up to interview the five Democratic candidates competing in Saturday's City Council firehouse primary. Next up: Tim Laderach.In this episode:Tim Laderach discusses why he's running to provide "pragmatic leadership," his four policy priorities — fiscal responsibility, affordability, connectedness and equity — and his approach to breaking down silos between city departments and the community. Plus: rapid-fire questions on pets, political heroes, favorite restaurants and his Navy career.About the candidate:Tim Laderach has served two terms as president of the Del Ray Citizens Association and is currently chair of the Economic Opportunities Commission. He is a Navy JAG reservist (up for commander this year), a pharmacist-turned-attorney, and was named to Alexandria's "40 Under 40" in 2023. He moved to Alexandria in 2017.Endorsements mentioned:School Board member Dr. Donna Kenley, former Vice Mayor Dr. David SpeckLearn more: timforalexandria.comHow to vote Saturday, Feb. 21:In person: Beatley Library (5005 Duke St.) or Leonard "Chick" Armstrong Recreation Center (25 W. Reed Ave.), 8:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.Online: Must have registered by 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20 at alexdems.orgThis episode is a collaboration between the Alexandria Brief and the Liberally Social Podcast. Produced by Anh Phan, Marta Schantz and Ryan Belmore. Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe

Republican Julie Robben Lineberry says she wants to win the Senate District 39 special election — but acknowledges the math is against her.“I’m no Pollyanna to politics,” Lineberry said Thursday in a live conversation with The Alexandria Brief. “I didn’t think, oh my gosh, I’m going to come in here and flip a Democratic seat that’s been a Democratic seat for... well, long ago.”Lineberry, a longtime Alexandria resident and retired realtor, is running against Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker in the Feb. 10 special election to fill the seat being vacated by Sen. Adam Ebbin. The district, which includes all of Alexandria and portions of Arlington and Fairfax County, votes roughly 70 percent Democratic.When asked directly whether she’s running to win or simply to ensure Democrats don’t run unopposed, Lineberry was firm.“Oh, I want to win the seat,” she said.A last-minute decisionLineberry said she decided to run in the final moments before the filing deadline after seeing no other Republicans had stepped forward.“I literally, during the last half hour of filing, sent them an email declaring,” she said. The Alexandria Republican City Committee subsequently canceled its planned canvass and named her the nominee.She described herself as a “pop-up candidate” in a “pop-up campaign” — though she noted her opponents faced similarly compressed timelines.“We’re all pop-up candidates,” she said. “And that’s where we are.”Walking back the rhetoricIn her campaign announcement, Lineberry used sharp language about the election process, citing “high-jinx,” “election manipulation,” and accusing “the political machine” of “undermining democracy.”Asked Thursday whether she genuinely believes Democrats broke the law or acted unethically, Lineberry softened her tone.“I’m not sure those were my lead words, but they are words that I used,” she said. She framed her concerns as criticism of party processes that limit voter participation rather than allegations of illegal activity.“When you are a party that wants to keep control of certain things, you can best do it by limiting the process by which your candidate is selected,” she said. “The party bosses love to just appoint and say, OK, this is his turn. This is her turn.”Lineberry also referenced ballot harvesting in Alexandria during the COVID-era elections. When asked whether she reported the alleged activity to authorities, she said, “It was reported,” but did not provide details about who reported it or the outcome.She then pivoted to criticisms of city council meetings held over Zoom during the pandemic, saying participants “weren’t allowed to talk” while the council rezoned “hundreds of sites in the city.”On affordabilityLineberry has made affordability a central theme of her campaign, listing it as the first of six priorities on her website. But when pressed for specific solutions, she acknowledged the limits of what she could offer voters in Northern Virginia.“Unfortunately, I have no choices for you except to move south,” she said, before pivoting to criticize Democratic tax proposals she said would raise costs on deliveries, ride-sharing, and other services.When asked repeatedly what legislation she would propose, Lineberry said she would work to lower the gas tax and freeze salaries for government employees — excluding teachers, police, and firefighters. She also said she would oppose Democratic energy policies she blames for rising costs.“That’s how I would, in the legislature, in the Senate,” she said. “I will be in a minority party unless there are two Republican Senate seats flip. I can always pray.”Throughout the conversation, Lineberry frequently turned to city-level grievances — criticizing the size of Alexandria’s staff, the use of outside consultants, speeding camera tickets, and development decisions — rather than state legislative priorities. When asked if she’d consider running for city council instead, she demurred.“I probably have as much chance of getting elected to this one as I do to the city council,” she said.On educationLineberry, who has worked as a substitute teacher in West End schools, including Ferdinand Day, John Adams, and Ramsey, raised concerns about declining student scores. When asked for her solution to improve them, she offered a simple answer.“Teach them,” she said. “Teachers spending lots of time and people helping them. But they need smaller classes.”She described classrooms of 20 to 25 students where “a third of them were non-English speaking or needed emotional or physical special aids.” She also criticized the lack of green space at some school playgrounds, noting that Ferdinand Day’s playground is “on the third floor of the parking garage” with “not a tree or a blade of grass to be seen.”A ‘moderate Republican’Lineberry described herself as a moderate Republican, though she acknowledged the term has lost meaning in today’s political environment.“I used to be considered a moderate Republican,” she said. “But the Republican Party, like the Democratic Party, have now done away with moderates. You get canceled.”She said she supported a different candidate in the 2024 Republican presidential primary but voted for Donald Trump in the general election.“When it came to election day, and it was either to vote for Biden-Harris or for Trump-Vance... I just watched Biden for the last six months. It was not a choice,” she said.Lineberry said she opposes all four constitutional amendments currently moving through the General Assembly — covering redistricting, reproductive freedom, voting rights and marriage equality.On federal workersWith thousands of federal employees living in the district, Lineberry was asked about her message to those worried about workforce reductions under the Trump administration.She pointed to her own experience losing her White House job when Jimmy Carter was elected in 1976.“I was a... I lost my job because of that,” she said. “I went and found a job.”When asked if she supports the current federal workforce cuts, Lineberry responded with a question.“Do you support affordability, making things, cutting things?” she said. “Are there ways to make lives more affordable other than by reducing something?”She argued that recent decreases in egg prices are a sign that “the market is saying somebody’s trying to reduce rates.”‘I’m passionate about serving’Lineberry, who worked in the White House personnel office during the Nixon and Ford administrations, served 10 years on the Alexandria Electoral Board and has been active in community organizations, including the Girl Scouts, TWIG, and the Inova Alexandria Hospital Auxiliary.She emphasized that she’s not seeking higher office.“I’m not looking to stair-step and in 18 months change jobs and get a higher position,” she said. “I’m just trying to make a difference now, today, in 2026.”Asked about her favorite spots in the West End, where she lives, Lineberry named Ho’s Chinese on Fern Street and Farlington Pizza.For more information about Julie’s campaign, visit julieforva.com.The raceEarly voting begins Jan. 31. Election Day is Feb. 10.The Alexandria Brief has also invited Bennett-Parker to join us for a conversation and will announce details once confirmed.Watch the full conversation below or listen above or wherever you get your podcasts. Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe

Watch the full conversation below or listen to the podcast version above.City Councilman Kirk McPike won Tuesday’s House District 5 Democratic firehouse primary with 60.5% of the vote, earning the right to face Republican Mason Butler in the Feb. 10 special election.Days before his win, McPike sat down with The Alexandria Brief to discuss his priorities, his record, and why he’s the right choice to represent Alexandria in Richmond.In a statement following his win, McPike said he looks forward to “working to address our housing crisis, the challenge of climate change, and the damaging impacts of the Trump Administration on the immigrant families, LGBTQ+ Virginians, and federal employees who call Alexandria home” — priorities he outlined in detail during our conversation Sunday.Here’s what he told us.Hitting the ground runningMcPike acknowledged he’ll face a unique challenge: joining the General Assembly after crossover, the point when each chamber stops considering its own bills and begins work on legislation passed by the other body.“You’re only considering the bills that have passed the other body, which means you need to land with a good knowledge of the bills that have been moving through the General Assembly and understanding of how to work the amendment process to improve legislation as it goes through your body before moving back to conference,” he said.He pointed to his experience on the City Council’s legislative subcommittee, where he and Mayor Alyia Gaskins meet weekly with city staff during the session to review bills affecting Alexandria.“I will come in very well versed in the key legislation that is of most importance to the city of Alexandria,” he said.Protecting federal workersAsked about his top legislative priority, McPike pointed to legislation supporting federal workers targeted by the Trump administration cuts.“I would want to look at the sort of playing field of bills that have been filed to help support the federal workers that are being sort of targeted and attacked by Donald Trump, the DOGE project that hit us so hard locally,” he said.He cited a bill creating hiring preferences for displaced federal workers applying for state jobs and said he’d push for similar support at the local level.“Providing localities with the same support to provide employment opportunities and soft landing opportunities to the federal workers who have been displaced would be a top priority of mine,” he said.Immigration and pushing back on ICEMcPike called for the state to take a more aggressive posture against federal immigration enforcement, including banning 287g agreements that allow local police to enforce federal immigration law.“We should just disallow those at the state level, not allow local governments to make their local police, who should be a resource to everyone in their communities, tools of the Trump administration and its out-of-control ICE agency,” he said.He also called out racial profiling in enforcement actions.“They’re not just going after people that they believe are immigrants who aren’t here legally. They are rounding up and arresting, illegitimately arresting people who are immigrants who are here properly and American-born citizens who are here because of the language they speak or their appearance,” he said. “This is a gross violation of their rights.”McPike said the state should look to California and Minnesota for models on how to resist.“On the city council, we issue a lot of statements,” he said. “At the state government level, we can take a lot of actions.”LGBTQ+ protections and continuing Ebbin’s legacyMcPike, who would be the only member of the General Assembly in a same-sex marriage, said he’s eager to campaign for the marriage equality constitutional amendment Democrats are advancing.“I look forward to getting elected and going out and helping lead the charge to keep my marriage and the marriages of thousands of couples across Virginia legal, even if federal courts decide to pull back from the Obergefell decision that made this all possible,” he said.His husband, Jason, is the cantor at Bethel Hebrew Congregation on Seminary Road.McPike said he supports all four constitutional amendments Democrats are pushing — redistricting reform, reproductive freedom, voting rights, and marriage equality — and believes they should all go before voters in April.“If we’re going to do this, let’s save localities some money,” he said. “Let’s have this election and get these constitutional amendments ratified.”Protecting trans kidsMcPike pointed to the city’s decision to back Alexandria City Public Schools when they refused to adopt Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s education policies targeting transgender students.“We need to make sure that our state government is doing everything it can to protect our school systems that are doing right by the trans kids that are in their student bodies,” he said. “That we are setting state standards and laws that require recognition of the proper gender identity for these students, guaranteeing them the access they deserve to after-school programs, and guaranteeing that health providers and health programs in Virginia provide the health care access that trans people need.”HousingMcPike cited the zoning for housing reforms passed during his time on council as a major accomplishment — changes that allow duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes in areas previously zoned for single-family homes.“We’re already starting to see some housing products come to us for approval at the City Council that integrate into these new changes,” he said.He also voiced support for legislation giving localities a right of first refusal when affordable housing units are about to expire.“Legislation that will allow Alexandria to say, okay, that unit’s about to expire, we’re going to re-up it... We’ve been seeking that authority for a while. I think this is the General Assembly session where we can actually get it through and get it signed by the governor.”SchoolsMcPike said Virginia’s school funding formula disadvantages Alexandria because it looks at the locality’s wealth rather than the needs of students.“When the governor goes out and says we’re giving teachers a $10,000 raise, for Alexandria, what that means is the governor saying, I’m throwing $2,000 into this and Alexandria, you need to do the other eight,” he said.He acknowledged that fixing the formula would be a long-term effort.“That is not the work of a session, certainly not the work of half a session,” he said. “That is the work of building a coalition across Virginia over a number of sessions.”LaborAsked if he supports overturning Virginia’s right-to-work law, McPike didn’t hesitate.“Absolutely. I think that right to work should be called right to work for less,” he said. “The right to work system puts workers at a great disadvantage to their employers.”He pointed to collective bargaining agreements the city has reached with firefighters, police, and other employees since gaining that authority from the state.Israel-related questionsMcPike was asked about the IHRA definition of antisemitism, the Virginia Israel Advisory Board and ethical investment resolutions — issues that have come before City Council.He said he’s comfortable with the IHRA definition, noting his personal connection to the Jewish community through his husband.“I am very close to and active in the Jewish community here in Alexandria,” he said. “I do think that the current IHRA definition of antisemitism is probably one that I am comfortable with because it takes a very clear position on how certain types of political rhetoric can lead to antisemitic outcomes, even if it’s not intended.”On the Virginia Israel Advisory Board, he said he’d want to learn more about why it exists outside the governor’s general economic development office.On divestment, he said he supports ethical considerations in investment decisions but would “want to avoid singling out any one nation or group of people in any policies that would be adopted.”Why himAsked what distinguishes him from his opponents, McPike pointed to his record.“Look at my record, Alexandria. You know who I am. I’ve been your city councilman for four years,” he said. “You’ve seen the things I care about. You’ve seen how hard I’ve worked on housing, on climate issues... You’ve seen my votes to improve funding for our schools and support for our first responders and unionized workers.”He said his 13 years of legislative experience on Capitol Hill — working in both majority and minority — means he won’t need a learning curve.“I can hit the ground running on February 18 as a member of the General Assembly who won’t need training wheels, won’t need time to learn the ropes, but can get to work immediately,” he said.Quitting his day jobUnlike most General Assembly members, McPike will have to leave his current job if he wins. The Virginia Constitution bars members from being employed by the federal government.“I will be leaving my day job if I win this,” he said, adding that his boss, Rep. Mark Takano, has been supportive.“It’s very gratifying to have my boss’s support as I test this possibility,” he said.McPike will face Republican Mason Butler in the Feb. 10 special election. Early voting begins Jan. 31.Watch the full conversation Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe

The Alexandria Brief sits down with Chris Leibig, candidate for House District 5 in the Virginia House of Delegates, ahead of Tuesday’s firehouse primary.Leibig is a criminal defense attorney who served at the Alexandria Public Defender’s Office from 1996 to 2002 before launching a private practice in Old Town. He is president-elect of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He discusses why he’s running, how he’d hit the ground running mid-session, and his priorities on housing, education, criminal justice, labor and protecting Alexandrians from the Trump administration.The firehouse primary is Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Beatley Library and Charles Houston Recreation Center. The winner will face Republican Mason Butler in the Feb. 10 special election. Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe

The Alexandria Brief sits down with Eileen Cassidy Rivera, candidate for House District 5 in the Virginia House of Delegates, ahead of Tuesday’s firehouse primary.Rivera served on the Alexandria City School Board and worked in the Clinton administration at the Commerce Department and Small Business Administration. She discusses why she’s running, how she’d hit the ground running mid-session, and her priorities on housing, education, criminal justice, labor and protecting Alexandrians from the Trump administration.The firehouse primary is Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Beatley Library and Charles Houston Recreation Center. The winner will face Republican Mason Butler in the Feb. 10 special election. Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe

A live one-on-one conversation with Kirk McPike, candidate for House District 5 in the Virginia House of Delegates. Get full access to The Alexandria Brief at alexandriabrief.substack.com/subscribe