Newsletter: Arlington Democrats had a *really* bad weekend

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Arlington Democrats had a *really* bad weekend.

Around midday on Friday, a Republican voter went to cast his vote early and encountered a sour Arlington Democrat. This is how the encounter went, according to the voter: 

“I was at the polling station in [Courthouse] when a VA Dem shoved a piece of paper in my face on the way in to vote. I threw it away and she made a rude comment. On the way out I was pissed and I [told] her it was rude. She said, ‘Was it the [worst] thing to happen in your life?’ which is rich because I use a wheelchair. Then she went to all of her buddies telling them I was harassing her when she approached me, harassed me, then made a snarky comment. She was vile.”

The Arlington Democratic (ACDC) poll greeter in question can be seen above and inthis tweet, which went viral on Friday.

Later in the day, the ACDC Chairman was seen speaking to several officials, including someone who appeared to be an Arlington County Sheriff’s Deputy.

This isn’t the first report we’ve received about rude Arlington Democrats outside Early Voting locations.

I have witnessed first-hand one ACDC poll greeter repeatedly and rudely interrupting an Arlington Republican poll greeter as she was explaining the ballot to a Republican voter a couple weeks ago.

Despite Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti launching a “voter intimidation” task force in mid-September, I suspect she won’t prosecute her fellow Arlington Democrats for intimidating Republican voters.

The Takeaway: If you encounter a rude ACDC poll greeter, let me know immediately. Get a video of the interaction, if possible, or a photo of the offender.

And if you are serving as a Republican poll greeter throughout Early Voting or on Election Day, keep your cool, be friendly and polite, and set a good example for the desperate Democrats who are watching Kamala Harris’s chances of winning slip away in real-time. It must be a tough time for them.

The bad news didn’t stop on Friday afternoon. On Saturday morning, Arlington Dems hosted a GOTV breakfast with Congressman Don Beyer, which attracted maybe a dozen people.

Arlington Republicans and the Jerry Torres campaign for Congress were there to welcome Congressman Beyer. This was our first counter-protest in a while, and I’m proud of the effort you made to show up. We received lots of positive honks and thumbs-ups from those who were driving through the neighborhood.

One “nasty woman” (she was wearing a shirt with the phrase emblazoned on the front) attempted to confront us, but she left after only a few minutes.

While members of the Arlington GOP were protesting Congressman Beyer, the Arlington-Alexandria-Falls Church Young Republicans and D.C. Young Republicans were knocking doors across Arlington with Trump Force 47.

On Sunday, Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance destroyed Arlington resident Martha Raddatz on national television as she attempted to parrot Biden-Harris talking points on Venezuelan gangs taking over apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado.

Throughout the weekend, Arlington Republicans have been showcasing other Trump-Vance sign thefts and vandalism you have caught on camera. I encourage you to check out our Facebook and Twitter pages to see what Republicans have sent to us.

Arlington Republicans are on offense this election because you and I know that a one- or two-point swing in Arlington could make all the difference in Virginia.

Arlington Democrats had a *really* bad weekend, and Arlington Republicans were there to seize on the opportunities.

As we head into the first week of expanded Early Voting in Arlington, it’s more important than ever for you to get involved in our efforts.

Arlington Republicans are engaged in our most ambitious Republican Sample Ballot operation in a generation, but we can’t do it without you personally committing a couple of hours of your time to our efforts.

Beginning Wednesday, October 16th, Arlington voters will be permitted to vote at FOUR different Early Voting locations — meaning, you and I must step up our efforts right away.

Arlington Democrats have more than enough volunteers to fully-staff their operation, and Arlington Republicans are prepared to compete.

Please take a few moments to sign up for a Republican Sample Ballot shift or two (or three!) from Wednesday, October 16th through Sunday, October 20th, by completing this form:

Arlington GOP E/V Sample Ballot (10/16-10/20)

To this point, Arlington Republicans have relied on a cadre of committed volunteers to staff two locations intermittently over the last few weeks, but I must raise an army of grassroots Republicans over the next few days.

There’s still time to sign up to volunteer to distribute Republican Sample Ballots today and tomorrow. You can sign up for a shift here.

Please consider investing just a few hours of your time in this effort.

It is incredibly important Arlington Republicans have a sustained presence at these Early Voting sites through November 2nd. The link above covers just the first few days of expanded Early Voting.

Thank you.

Onward, 

Matthew Hurtt, Chairman
Arlington GOP

P.S.   If you live in aa high-rise apartment and would like to drop Republican Sample Ballots to your targeted Republican neighbors over the next week or so, please reply to this email.

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Please find the following updates below: 

  1. Republican Sign Thefts Across Arlington
  2. Auxiliary Organization & Campaign Updates
  3. Early Voting Sample Ballot Distribution (Ongoing)
  4. Headlines & Social Media Links

You can use Command+F on a Mac or Control+F on a PC to “find” the relevant section of this email.

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Republican Sign Thefts Across Arlington

The Arlington GOP receives calls, texts, emails, and other messages every single day about yard signs for our Republican candidates that have been stolen, vandalized, or thrown away by angry leftists who believe they live in a one-party ideological bubble. One enterprising Arlington Republican caught the woman above stealing a Trump-Vance yard sign in broad daylight on Friday afternoon.

Thank you to those of you who have called, texted, emailed, and messaged me about missing signs. I appreciate the updates.

If you see someone pulling up, tearing down, or vandalizing a Republican yard sign, PLEASE capture the act in photos or on video. If you have a Republican yard sign in your yard, please ensure it is in the frame of your doorbell camera.

Your messages about destroyed or missing yard signs are helpful, but your photo or video proof would allow us to continue to beat this drum on social media and in news coverage.

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Auxiliary Organization & Campaign Updates

The Arlington GOP makes every attempt to share auxiliary organization and campaign updates for our members and readers of this newsletter. Here are the latest opportunities for each organization or campaign working in Arlington.

Arlington-Alexandria-Falls Church Young Republicans: The AAFCYRs have a number of campaign opportunities and events in the coming weeks. Please join them at their next chapter meeting:

  • October Happy Hour & Chapter Meeting: AAFCYRs will meet at Barley Mac (1600 Wilson Blvd Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22209) on Monday, October 21st at 6:00pm for their monthly happy hour and chapter meeting. Read more details and RSVP on Facebook here.

Keep track of everything the AAFCYRs are up to on Facebook and Twitter/X.

Arlington Republican Women’s Club: Be on the lookout for future events from the Arlington Republican Women’s Club. The Arlington GOP supports our women’s’ auxiliary organization. If you would like to join their efforts, email Becky Ault: beckyault@aol.com

Donald Trump for President: The Trump Campaign has regular Trump Force 47Campaign trainings and phone bank events each week. Here are details for the remaining phone bank and training events this week and through the weekend:

  • Tuesday, October 15th at 12pm: Trump Force 47 phone-banking in Fairfax. For details and to RSVP for this in-person event, click here.
     
  • Thursday, October 17th at 12pm: Trump Force 47 phone-banking in Fairfax. For details and to RSVP for this in-person event, click here.
     
  • Saturday, October 19th at 9am: Trump Force 47 Super Saturday door-knocking (morning shift) in Fairfax. For details and to RSVP for this in-person event, click here.
     
  • Saturday, October 19th at 1pm: Trump Force 47 Super Saturday door-knocking (afternoon shift) in Fairfax. For details and to RSVP for this in-person event, click here.
     
  • Sunday, October 20th at 1:30pm: Trump Force 47 door-knocking (afternoon shift) in Alexandria. For details and to RSVP for this in-person event, click here.

Hung Cao for Senate: Hung Cao is mounting a campaign to defeat Tim Kaine. You can get involved in his efforts here. 

Jerry Torres for Congress (VA-08): Jerry Torres is speaking to voters where they are. You can check out his website and get more involved in his campaign here.

Juan Carlos Fierro for County Board: Juan Carlos Fierro’s campaign for Arlington County Board is reaching more and more voters. You can support his campaign here.

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Arlington GOP Membership Information

Even MORE Arlington Republicans have expressed interest in joining the Arlington GOP as full or affiliate members for the remainder of the term. The term of a Committee runs from spring of one even-numbered year to the spring of the next even-numbered year.

The Arlington GOP re-constituted in March 2024 and this Committee, its leadership, and its membership will remain in place until March 2026.

While the process isn’t complicated, it is multi-step. Here is the process: 

  1. Declare your intent to join the Arlington GOP as a full or affiliate member at one Membership Meeting. If you’re interested in joining the Arlington GOP, you may declare your intent at our September membership meeting.
     
  2. Between the first meeting and either of the subsequent two membership meetings, complete this membership declaration form and pay requisite dues.
     
  3. Attend either of the next two membership meetings to have your membership approved. If you declare your intent to join the Arlington GOP at the next membership meeting, you must attend either of the subsequent two membership meetings to confirm your membership.

While most Arlington GOP meetings are open to the general public, you must be a full member to vote on Committee business. On several occasions throughout the two-year term of the Committee, members will vote on approval of spending proposals, policy pronouncements, and candidate nominating processes.

Only full members may take part in these matters.

Affiliate membership does not grant voting rights in the Committee; however, paying affiliate dues does grant you a seat at the table for other Arlington GOP matters.

If you have any questions about this process, please reply to this email.

Save the date for our next membership meeting on Monday, October 28th. A full Call & Agenda will be issued in an upcoming email.

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Early Voting Sample Ballot Distribution

Arlington Republicans have approved a Sample Ballot and are distributing it at Early Voting locations and on Election Day. Walking you through the Arlington GOP Sample Ballot, here are the contested races and ballot issues that are important to you: 

Donald Trump and J.D. Vance for President & Vice President
Hung Cao for U.S. Senate
Jerry Torres for U.S. Congress (VA-08)
Juan Carlos Fierro for Arlington County Board

❌ There are NO endorsed Republican candidates for Arlington School Board. (You should consider running for local office in 2025 and beyond…)

In addition to the races for public office, there is one Constitutional Amendment and five bond issues on the ballot. The Committee voted this week to SUPPORT the Constitutional Amendment and OPPOSE all five bond issues:

✅ Constitutional Amendment, related to the tax exemption for surviving spouses of soldiers killed in action (expanding it to spouses of those killed in the line of duty)

❌ Metro & Transportation Proposal, approving general obligation bonds not to exceed $72,405,000 to finance, together with other available funds, the cost of various capital projects for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) and other transit, pedestrian, road or transportation projects

❌ Local Parks & Recreation Proposal, approving general obligation bonds not to exceed $25,770,000 to finance, together with other available funds, the cost of various capital projects for local parks & recreation

❌ Community Infrastructure Proposal, approving general obligation bonds not to exceed $76,150,000 to finance, together with other available funds, the cost of various capital projects, including but not limited to facilities maintenance capital, facilities design and construction, the Arlington Neighborhoods Program, and other County infrastructure

❌ Arlington Public Schools Proposal, approving general obligation bonds not to exceed $83,990,000 to finance, together with other available funds, the cost of various capital projects for Arlington Public Schools

❌ Utilities Proposal, approving general obligation bonds not to exceed $14,220,000 to finance, together with other available funds, the cost of designing, expanding, improving, and renovating Arlington County’s Water Pollution Control Plant and the water and sewer systems serving the County

Members of the Arlington GOP overwhelmingly supported taking principled fiscal positions on each of the proposed bond issues — just like we did during the 2023 election.

If you would like to help Arlington Republicans distribute Sample Ballots this week, sign up for a time slot for today or tomorrow by clicking here and sign up for a time slot and location for expanded Early Voting Wednesday through the end of the week here.

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Headlines & Social Media Links

Here are a few headlines from the last week that may be of interest to you:

Arlington Republicans try our best to make an impact in local public policy conversations through our engagement with local (and sometimes national and international) media. I encourage you to share these stories with your network of Republican friends and neighbors.

Don’t forget to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Nextdoor — we’re working diligently to get our message in front of as many people as possible, and your support for our social media efforts helps a lot.

Lastly, please forward this email to your friends and ensure your fellow Republicans subscribe to receive these regular updates here: http://eepurl.com/izWNfl