Each morning for more than three decades, Ed Semonian (D) has walked from his Old Town home to his job as Alexandria’s clerk of the Circuit Court, where he maintains the court’s records.
Since he was elected to the position in 1979, he has not faced a challenger in this Democratic Party stronghold.
Marston, left, and Semonian.
Now 77 and running for what would probably be his last eight-year term, he has an opponent: Chris Marston (R), who has ties to the Republican establishment and was treasurer for the 2009-10 congressional campaign of Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.).
The race is the talk of the courthouse and a closely watched contest for a generally low-profile position. The area’s GOP leaders see the seat as a potential further foothold for their party in a deep-blue city.
Semonian is knocking on doors for the first time in years, determined to prevail on Nov. 8. He wants to maintain his longtime stewardship of a position that largely entails keeping real estate, probate and court documents, making them publicly accessible and issuing marriage licenses. He manages a 21-person staff and makes $128,000 a year.
“People say to me, ‘Why don’t you retire?’ ” Semonian said. “They don’t understand that working here is a rewarding experience. I am able to do something positive. You go home feeling good.”
Marston, 37, is a lawyer who was an assistant secretary in the Education Department under President George W. Bush and chairman of the Alexandria Republican City Committee from 2004 until last year.
Marston was treasurer for Bachmann from 2009 until last year. His wife, Michelle, the congresswoman’s former chief of staff, is credited with curating Bachmann’s image as she exploded onto the national political scene.
Marston said he is running for clerk of the court because he wants to be part of “citizen-centered government.”
“I don’t imagine I’m going to save the world or establish any big policy changes,” Marston said. “But that’s the reason I want to do it. It is involved directly in citizen service.”
The emergence of a challenger means Semonian is faced with selling himself, and, for the first time in decades, raising money. Even though he is the longtime incumbent, insiders say, he does not have the widespread name recognition that would help him in an election that is expected to have low voter turnout because it is not a presidential election cycle. (In 2003, about 19 percent of registered Alexandria voters went to the polls.)
“Ed is a very, very modest man who doesn’t like to impose himself on people,” said Semonian’s campaign manager, Susan Kellom.
Marston is the only Republican running for citywide office in Alexandria. Tom Fulton, chairman of the Alexandria Republican City Committee, said Marston is highly qualified and calls the race important for the Alexandria GOP.
“This is a way of building party identity,” Fulton said. “Galvanizing Republicans.”
Both campaigns have been marked by fundraisers, meet-and-greets and glad-handing at public events. When they are out campaigning, the candidates say, conversations often veer into explaining the job, which few realize is an elected position.
The Post Most: LocalMost-viewed stories, videos and galleries int he past two hours
Loading...
Comments