Moran Leaning on His Incumbency

"Despite the controversies," Donley said, "I think Jim Moran has served the 8th District very ably and capably.

"Andy Rosenberg is a political newcomer," he said. "It's an uphill battle."

Moran remains both contrite and defiant regarding his troubles: "If I'm defeated, I would rather be defeated for having said something that people don't like that was true, than be defeated because I chose not to be involved and was shamed into silence on this issue."

"This issue," which Moran seems not to tire of raising, stems from his quoted remark at an antiwar forum at the outset of the Iraq war in March 2003 that "if it were not for the strong support of the Jewish community for this war with Iraq, we would not be doing this."

Amid the ensuing national embarrassment and rebukes from Senate Minority Leader Thomas A. Daschle (D-S.D.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Moran apologized for suggesting that Jewish leaders could have forestalled the fighting. He resigned a House Democratic leadership post and said he was insensitive for singling out Jewish leaders instead of American religious leaders at large, which he said is what he meant.

Six Jewish Democrats in the House vowed not to support Moran's reelection, and a rebellion developed at home.

Over the years, financial, ethical and personal problems as well as physical confrontations have become Moran's hallmark as much as his political resilience. In 1984, Moran resigned as vice mayor of Alexandria after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor conflict-of-interest charge related to a city garage project. He was later elected mayor, and the verdict was set aside.

In 1995, Moran shoved Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-Calif.) during an argument and later apologized. In 1999, Moran's wife filed for divorce after an early morning argument, to which police were called. In 2000, Moran grabbed an 8-year-old boy, saying the child had a gun and had demanded his car keys. A magistrate closed a complaint from the boy and his parents, taking no action.

In office, Moran has been on the defensive for accepting, among other things, an unsecured $25,000 loan from a drug company lobbyist whose bill he supported and a $447,000 debt consolidation mortgage package he received from a credit card giant whose legislation he carried.

Still, Moran, a political street fighter, appears to have survived his moment of greatest vulnerability, as threatened challenges from well-known Northern Virginia Democrats evaporated. Former Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chairman Katherine K. Hanley pulled out of the primary race last fall. Former congresswoman and state senator Leslie L. Byrne, Arlington County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Jay Fisette and Jeremy B. Bash, campaign aide to former vice president Al Gore, passed up bids.

Hanley has given $1,000 to Rosenberg and said the reasons behind her challenge remain intact. Like the others, she has not endorsed Moran.

"This race has dropped off the radar screen," said Amy Walter, House editor of the Cook Political Report. Moran should be safe, she said, "Yet at the same time, I think you still have an incumbent you have to keep an eye on, simply because of his penchant for saying and doing things that tend to get him in trouble."

Moran has harvested relatively little campaign cash and was outraised in the first three months of this year. As of April 7, Moran reported $255,962 on hand, and Rosenberg $145,919. Low turnout forecasts and Virginia's open primary add a final wild card. Fewer than 25,000 votes could be enough for the winner June 8, said both campaigns, which will begin a mail-driven effort next week.

Because Virginia does not require voters to register by party, Republicans antagonized by Moran's record could seal his fate if they cross over in significant numbers.

Heavyweight Democratic consultants give the race a personal edge. Moran's longtime adviser is Joe Trippi, who helped guide former Vermont governor Howard Dean's presidential campaign. Rosenberg is guided by Bob Shrum and Tad Devine, whose firm is advising Democratic presidential contender John F. Kerry and who are residents of the 8th District.

Deep divisions were evident among dozens of potential voters interviewed. "This guy has a lot of experience," said Moran supporter Robert Monson, 66, an Old Town Alexandria resident and federal employee. "The democratic system in the U.S. is people get the most for their money from incumbents. Moran is close to the edge, but until someone better comes along, he's my man."

Al Schlachtmeyer, 67, a management consultant who lives nearby, disagreed, saying he was fed up at the whole of Moran's conduct. "Moran needs to go. He can't seem to clean up his act. We need the change. . . . The string of small kerfuffles is too much for a man in a position of trust and responsibility."