Bearing Drift catches up with Anthony Bedell, who was elected as chairman of the Fairfax County Republican Committee this past December.
A Fairfax favorite son is the GOP nominee for Attorney General. What impact do you think Cuccinelli will have on Republican electoral chances this year?
Pat Herrity is the GOP nominee for Attorney General? You did say Fairfax’s favorite son right? Just kidding. I think Ken Cuccinelli will do well in Fairfax despite all the pundit’s predictions. All the man has ever done is win here in the County… period. He has a great network statewide but especially in western Fairfax. He has always turned out the vote out in areas that have long been notorious for low GOP voter turnout. That will only help the top of the ticket as well as Ken. We are obviously very excited to have one of our own on the statewide ticket. It’s about time.
Who is your favorite Democrat in Virginia politics and why?
I can’t wait to see the reaction to this one but I am a fan of Sen. Dick Saslaw. We don’t agree on a lot of issues but he is a family friend and I have known him a long time. In fact, when I was very young and we had multi-candidate districts in Virginia I used to hand out literature for him. I have always found him to be a very nice man, very approachable, and I have worked with him on a professional level concerning some issues before the General Assembly. But in the end he has always been great to my family and that is a biggest plus in my book.
Tell me about a volunteer in your unit who is a Republican hero. What does he or she do for your local committee?
I don’t think it would be fair to single out one person since so many of our committee members have really stepped up to the plate this year. I have such a deep respect and admiration for our volunteers who do all the work week in and week out for the Republican cause. We have grown our membership 32% since I was elected and that is due to the hard work of EVERY member of the Fairfax County Republican Committee and our excellent slate of candidates. Our resurgence in Fairfax County is due to the re-dedication of our volunteers to the Party and desire to win again in Fairfax. They deserve all the credit. I am just a figurehead!
What do you see as the biggest concern for average citizens in your area?
The big three… transportation, education, and the economy. I would add two as sub-issues… government spending/taxes and public safety. Those two issues surfaced in the special elections we held in February and March. Particularly the government spending and the real estate tax issue. These will probably always be the top issues in a suburban and diverse area like Fairfax County.
Anthony Bedell is chairman of the Fairfax County Republican Committee. He is the Director of Federal and State Government Affairs for a Fortune 500 software company. He is also a veteran of the United States Air Force and served in the Bush Administration under Labor Secretary Elaine Chao and in the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Small Business Administration. Bedell resides in Falls Church with his wife Christina and their two children Liam and Rose.
