Democratic Primary Election Is Tuesday

State Senate, Commonwealth Attorney Races Both Heated

by Charlie Clark

This coming Tuesday, June 20, is the official election day after a month of early voting for the Democratic primary when Falls Church voters will decide who that party’s nominees will be for State Senate in the newly reconfigured 37th District, now covering Falls Church, and for the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the Arlington/Falls Church circuit. On election day, polls will be open from 6 a.m. — 7 p.m.

Both races have been highly contentious. In the State Senate race, due to redistricting, Falls Church voters will be choosing a new state senator for the first time, the choices being between State Sen. Chap Petersen, whose district before this year was west of Falls Church, and Sadam Salim.

In the waning days before the election, however, it is the Commonwealth’s Attorney race between incumbent Parisa Dehghani-Tafti and challenger Josh Katcher that has taken the most contentious turn.

The tragedy of young Braylon Meade’s death by an Arlington drunk juvenile driver last November, which has become central in the testy campaign, raised a slew of crime questions. They include, When do local prosecutors charge an underage offender as an adult?

And, more important for voters, Are there really differences in the views of incumbent

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