A sad stunt in the Arlington County commonwealth’s attorney race

Then-Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D) in Richmond on Jan. 10, 2018. (Timothy C. Wright/For The Washington Post)

Regarding the Jan. 8 Metro article “McAuliffe seeks to topple prosecutor who fought him”:

Former Virginia governor Terry McAuliffe’s (D) support for an opponent of Arlington County Commonwealth’s Attorney Theo Stamos is sad for two reasons. It is yet another sorry example of a politician making a decision based on a personal grudge, ignoring the vastly superior qualification and experience Ms. Stamos brings to this important position. And it is based on the false premise that Ms. Stamos actually was opposed in principle to restoration of voting rights for convicted felons when Mr. McAuliffe trumpeted his ideas on the subject. She was not. Instead, she expressed well-founded concerns regarding the scope and method of his proposal.

Perhaps Mr. McAuliffe is just trying to grab attention to further his own political ambitions. In any event, his stunt is little cause for Ms. Stamos to worry. Arlington County is blessed with an intelligent electorate, and endorsements by outsiders don’t usually count for much in local races.

S. Randolph Sengel, Alexandria

The writer, a Democrat, served in the Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office from 1979 to 2013, including four terms as the elected commonwealth’s attorney.