I have decided to run for Mayor of Manassas. I’ll have more details about my platform in a bit but I wanted to go ahead and put it up here as the news has started to leak out. I’m very excited about it as is my family. The Republican convention is on January 28th and if you want to come and support me you’ll need to file in advance. The form is here or you can contact me (andy@harrover.com) or call and I’ll bring you one! More to follow.
January 6, 2012 at 8:26 am
What’s wrong with the current mayor?
January 6, 2012 at 10:12 am
Sometimes status quo just isn’t the best move, Brian. I believe Andy has a direction he wants to go and maybe current folks aren’t going there…would be my thinking on why folks usually run for a particular office.
January 6, 2012 at 10:40 am
I think this will turn out to be a very interesting convention.
January 6, 2012 at 12:18 pm
So how does this work? Here we were discussing how low (and declining) voter turnout percentage has been in another thread, so choosing our next Mayor will now be in the hands of the even fewer who attend the convention? And even though running for Mayor, would you still be eligible to go for a Council seat nomination should you not beat Hal at the convention?
I can’t see the Democrats mounting a serious challenge for the general for Mayor, let alone any Council seat.
I wonder if failing to get the nod at the convention, either Hal or Andy would then run in the general as an independent for Mayor or Council???
January 6, 2012 at 12:28 pm
I’m not up for election this cycle on the Council side. If I lose, that’s it. I will not run as anything else, I’m a republican.
January 6, 2012 at 12:37 pm
DavidB,
FYI – Andy was reelected to council in 2010 for a four year
(as was Marc Aveni and myself). If he becomes Mayor, assume
he would resign from council and the five remaining members
would then select an individual to fill his unexpired council term.
If he doesn’t become Mayor, he still maintains his Vice-Mayor position
through the end of June 2014.
January 6, 2012 at 12:52 pm
“So how does this work? Here we were discussing how low (and declining) voter turnout percentage has been in another thread, so choosing our next Mayor will now be in the hands of the even fewer who attend the convention?”
DavidB,
I’m not sure I agree with your premise. I cannot speak to the General, as an idependent or Democrat may choose to run…or not. What I can speak to is the method of nomination for our candidates for local office. There are three permitted methods of nomination under our party plan; Mass Meeting, Convention, and Party Canvas (sometimes called a “firehouse primary”). All are open to any registered voter residing in the City. The main difference between a Mass Meeting and a Convention is advance delegate prefiling. A party canvas is like a primary, except that there would be a single location, staffed by the party, open for a few hours, for voters to stop in and vote. If you are looking for a traditional primary, like what will occur in March to vote for a presidential nominee, it is not permitted under local party plan, for selection of local office nominees.
January 6, 2012 at 12:53 pm
So happy to hear this Andy! You should get lots of support!
January 6, 2012 at 2:36 pm
The Republican Tally So Far:
5 names for 3 Council seats – Bass, Way, Wolfe, Lovejoy, Patullo
2 names for Mayor – Parrish, Harrover
Independent and Democrat still working to get signatures. Yeah, gonna be an interesting day that Saturday.
January 7, 2012 at 4:20 pm
http://www2.insidenova.com/news/2012/jan/07/2/harrover-announces-run-manassas-mayors-seat-ar-1594505/
January 9, 2012 at 7:22 am
The last thing Manassas needs is another term and more of the same from “Mayor Smiley.” With his inherited political pedigree no one has been willing to challenge him. He’s not a bad guy but….
January 9, 2012 at 8:37 am
Mom: Cool it. There’s nothing personal here.
January 9, 2012 at 9:19 am
Perhaps what she was trying to say was most of us really like the current Mayor personally but we need someone who actually DO something?
January 9, 2012 at 6:46 pm
Andy, one thing I would like to know, if you become Mayor will you open Lake Manassas for fishing. There are a whole lot of kids who want to fish Lake Manassas.
January 9, 2012 at 11:25 pm
Patty, Lake Manassas is “up in the air” until after the trial date on April 24, 2012 (per PWC Circuit Court Record). Way back in February 2011 Mayor Parrish said nothing will be decided till the issues with Brownfield Saranac are settled by the trial.
January 10, 2012 at 12:11 pm
Thanks Ray. I do hope Lake Manassas can be opened for fishing. There are a lot of kids who would love to fish that lake and adults too!
January 10, 2012 at 1:52 pm
@Steve Thomas
Building on DavidB’s comment “choosing our next Mayor will now be in the hands of the even fewer who attend the convention”. Why does the local party plan not permit for a “traditional primary”?
As a registered Republican I am a bit annoyed that I need to fill out a form and send in a check. This nonsense benefits the incumbent not to mention the fee/dues requirement to “register” resembles a “poll tax”.
January 10, 2012 at 1:59 pm
If you want, drop me a line. I’ll come to your house, fill out the form and file it for you. Donations are optional – the party gets $350/candidate and that should cover the cost.
January 10, 2012 at 5:07 pm
@FourKidsnDog
I’m a bit confused by your statement that you are a “registered Republican.” We do not have registration by party in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Are you referring to being a member of the Manassas Republican Committee? I personally think the $20 dues to join the MRC for a year (which is what you would be paying for if you chose that option instead of just being a delegate- the due is for a year of membership, not just to go to the convention) is fair since it’s no different like any other club or organization that charges dues to be a member of for a year. Heck, even OHS charges about that much to every student as “class dues” every year (and you can’t graduate unless all four years of dues are paid)! Otherwise like Andy H. said, the $5 a delegate is merely an optional donation and you can chose not to donate with no penalty.
Can you please clarify your statement?
January 10, 2012 at 9:32 pm
AndyH said:
“I’ll come to your house, fill out the form and file it for you.”
Just don’t sign it, we’re not in Chicago 🙂
Andy, I thought you gave a really solid interview and made your case well in the J&M piece. First time, in a long time I actually enjoyed reading that paper.
Maybe you and Hal should have a debate? How about an exchange of positions on a neutral blog?
January 11, 2012 at 6:16 am
Doug, fascinating concept that debate.
Glad to see Mayor Parrish did an interview as it allows one means for a person to sit and compare and contrast the statements of the incumbant vs. the challenger.
January 11, 2012 at 7:27 am
Probably should have been a bit more clear on that: I won’t sign the form…:) The tongue in cheek saying about Chicago politics alays makes me grin: “vote early and often.” Wasn’t it Chicago, awhile back, where there were more votes cast than registered voters?
@Doug: thanks! It was a very brief interview but Keith did a good job turning it around.
@debate: I don’t have time for a full-on debate right now – we’re pretty busy signing folks up but I’m willing to respond to questions and there’s always the coffee meetups.
January 11, 2012 at 7:40 am
A debate would be fun but I think I can get a better picture of what the candidates will do based on what they have done rather than what they say they are going to do (enough of that happening in the national races). Hal has been in office forever and cannot be divorced from the status quo. If you like the status quo and a relative lack of transparency, then that is where you need to cast your vote. That’s not saying anything bad about Hal, it’s simply a fact. By contrast Andy has been far more transparent, having “coffee Fridays,” a blog here and an active participant on blogs elsewhere, and a willingness to mix it up and discuss issues with any citizen any time. As to Andy’s willingness to challenge the status quo, I can think of no better real world example than his challenge against a Parrish. This, in Manassas, is the very definition of challenging the status quo. So I’ll be voting for Andy on January 28. I just think we need braver leadership in Manassas than we have had in the past.
I want to add that this is not intended as a knock against Hal. Both Hal and Andy are fine men who love the community. But sometimes, when business is dropping off and when new problems have been cropping up without resolution for too long, you just need a new chef in the kitchen. That’s where we are in Manassas right now.
The next step is up to us. We can head in a new direction or we can stick with a solution that has not been working to our liking. Which brings to mind several relevant quotes/sayings paraphrased here: (1) “Those who cannot learn from hisitory are doomed to repeat it;” (2) “History can definately repeat itself if everyone concentrates on making the same stupid mitakes;” (3) “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.” So I’m going with Andy the challenger rather than Hal the incumbent. No knock on Hal but, at least for Mayor, he’s not getting my vote again this time around. I just do not not believe that voting for Hal for Mayor will yield better results than before. That what history has taught me.
January 11, 2012 at 8:29 am
Mayor Parrish spent the night in the homeless shelter, and recently spent over 2 hours in his office with at-risk teenagers. That means more to me than all the ribbon cutting photos in Old Town. I like how all our elected officials participate in the life of the city and model civic engagement, whether its getting sweaty playing Civil War baseball (Sheryl Bass), riding bike trails (Andy Harrover), shaving your head for charity (Marc Aveni), taking on a 1911 persona for the Peace Jubilee (Del. Miller, Jonathan Way), helping a family that hasn’t had heat in their home for three years (Mark Wolfe) or taking back the streets after crime — and even returning shopping carts that have strayed from a local grocery store (Steve Randolph).
Which leaders are engaging us to get involved by rolling up their sleeves at neighborhood projects? Which ones are communicating with us like Earnie Porta in Occoquan on Facebook or John Jenkins with an e-newsletter? Who is involved beyond the City in Leadership Prince William and the Virginia Municipal League and regional, state or national organizations to both represent Manassas and bring the big picture back to us? Who is talking to the Washington Business Journal or CNN and putting Manassas on the map?
January 11, 2012 at 9:58 am
@Andy H,
Thanks for the offer but I completed it and sent it in with my check.
If the form method is going to be used there should be more individual options to choose from. There is plenty of room on a full sheet of paper there is no need to combine or limit people. Personally, I would like to see the whole thing simplified in order to get more people to participate. I haven’t followed local politics until recently and if it weren’t for you mentioning this form I wouldn’t have known of it. Not everyone is from VA and not everyone is aware that procedures can differ.
@Andrew B
Thought I checked off a box when I registered to vote? Perhaps it was a form to receive info. from the Rep. Party? I have no problem with contributions to candidates or club dues I just don’t like it wrapped up in a form that is for convention purposes.
January 11, 2012 at 10:05 am
@Andy,
Have you started the calls yet? I got a call last night on behalf of the Mayor asking for my support.
January 11, 2012 at 5:56 pm
@FourKidsnaDog
My guess would be the latter. I checked with the VA Board of Elections website and there’s no box, line, or other place to put your political affiliation on the registation form. I don’t know whether or not VA has ever had registration by party tho…
January 12, 2012 at 9:53 am
4 Kids,
“Why does the local party plan not permit for a “traditional primary”?
The simple answer is , because local units are not permitted to do so under the State Party Plan, and even if it did, it is doubtful that the SBE would pay for it. The more involved answer is, if you have a traditional primary, it is run by SBE. SBE does not have the time and resources to staff and monitor local nominations contests. Statewide, yes. Local, no.
“As a registered Republican I am a bit annoyed that I need to fill out a form and send in a check.”
You cannot be a registered Republican in Virginia, as Virginia does not have voter registration by party (something I would very much like to see). I am not a registered Republican in VA, even though I am a member of the MGOP leadership. Andy isn’t a registered Republican, even though he is a Republican elected official. Governor Bob McDonnell, LG Bolling and AG Cuccinelli are not registered Republicans either, but I get your point. You are a committed and loyal Republican. The purpose of the Delegate form is so that your eligibility to participate (you are a registered voter in Manassas City), can be verified, your voting credentials prepared. Also, voting is proportional, by precinct, so all of the math needs to be worked out in advance. A convention differs from a Mass Meeting in there is no pre-filing. All of this eligibility verification (mandated by election law), credentialing, etc. would have to happen day-of, which would add several hours to the process, which I am sure would tick you off even more. Lastly, there is no mandatory fee to be paid. It clearly states this on the delegate filing form. The party requests a voluntary donation to help defray the costs associated with the convention. All that is required to participate is to fill out your delegate form and submit.
As a committed and loyal Republican like you, I feel that the best way to understand the finer points of the process, is to be actively involved in it. The best way to do this, is to become a member of the Manassas City Republican Committee. While Manassas has many committed and loyal Republicans, only about 100 of them are actually members of the MCRC. If you aren’t a current member, or hadn’t considered doing so in the past, I would highly encourage you to do so.
January 12, 2012 at 10:01 am
“I personally think the $20 dues to join the MRC for a year (which is what you would be paying for if you chose that option instead of just being a delegate- the due is for a year of membership, not just to go to the convention)”
Ray,
Glad you think it’s a good deal, but it gets even better: The $20 membership dues for the Manassas City Republican Committee is for a TWO year membership!
January 13, 2012 at 1:56 am
Steve…right family, wrong person quoted as it is my son Andrew who brought up the money 🙂 Agree it is a good deal as I belong to several groups and none of them are a bargin like MCRC.
January 13, 2012 at 3:09 pm
@Steve Thomas
My mistake… I realized later when I re-reading the call to convention. I was going to make a correction post but you beat me to it. Sorry if I mislead anyone! Anyways, that makes it an even better deal at $10 at year. For comparison the non-partisan Prince William County of 100 charges $30 in annual dues + the cost to go to the each dinner if you chose to go to the dinner and not just the program (program itself is free even for non-members)…
January 13, 2012 at 3:10 pm
*”when I was re-reading” not “when I re-reading”
January 13, 2012 at 3:22 pm
My appologies to the Beverages. While I may have had the right vine, I completely botched the vintage.
January 15, 2012 at 1:01 pm
The pre-registration is specifically intended to speed up the convention process and make it less burdensome on the delegates. I recall a couple of conventions ago we had registration at the door such that each delegates SS# had to be checked with the city registrar in “real time.” The wait was awful and the convention dragged on forever because of the verification.
True, there are tradeoffs with the pre-registration requirement. There might be more delegates if there were more days to complete the registration, but I daresay the prospect of delegates walking out because of heavy delays more than offsets the burden of pre-registration.
Also, the party could have used a primary or a “firehouse primary” but the burden in cost and time was such that it was voted down at the Republican Committee meeting.
January 15, 2012 at 8:08 pm
“I’m not sure I agree with your premise.”
Well, I guess my “premise” had two parts.
1. A very small proportion of the City residents will be making the selection of Hal versus Andy.
2. I can’t see that any independent or Democrat could either in the general.
Not that I have a particular problem with either…just sayin’.
January 15, 2012 at 11:35 pm
I wouldn’t be too sure just yet.
January 17, 2012 at 9:07 am
“I recall a couple of conventions ago we had registration at the door such that each delegates SS# had to be checked with the city registrar in “real time.””
Councilman,
The nomination contest you recall was actually a Mass Meeting. This is the main reason we switched to conventions. The difference between a Mass Meeting and a Convention IS the pre-registration requirement.