Summary
Current Position: Local elected office in Loudoun County for 10 years
Former Positions: Newsletter publisher and business owner
Affiliation: Republican
Candidate: Senate District 37
Kenneth Reid served ten years as a councilmember and supervisor in Loudoun County, VA, outside Washington, DC-one of the fastest-growing communities in the US. A Republican, he won election in a blue-leaning community, Leesburg, never losing an election in four tries. Reid also has assisted numerous other candidates to win office using many of the strategies and organization efforts in this book.
By profession, he is a publisher who has written about the biomedical industries since the Reagan administration, served as a grassroots PR consultant in the transportation realm and currently works as a technical writer in the Hampton Roads area.
His master’s degree is in journalism from the University of Missouri and undergrad degree in political science from Rutgers. As such, he has superior marketing, media and political skills to help other candidates win and navigate working in local elected office.
OnAir Post: Ken Reid
News
In recent weeks, a number of TV commercials have appeared, notably on conservative-leaning “Fox News” and “Fox Business News,” urging votes for the “Common Sense Team” in the June 20 primary election in Fairfax County.
These slick ads make no mention that all three candidates are Democrats and there is NO Republican Primary on June 20. They are paid for by Chap Petersen for Senate.
The June 20 primary is an “open primary” meaning any registered voter can vote.
Mr. Petersen clearly fears defeat because liberal Democrat voters are abandoning him for challenger Saddam Salim, largely for killing a ban on semi-automatic rifles in Virginia. Chap is clearly mining for votes among Republican voters with these ads on conservative news channels, calling himself the “People’s Senator.”
About
- 10 year tenure in local elected office in Loudoun County; undefeated in four elections in “blue” Leesburg
- Newsletter publisher and business owner (1991 to 2021) and technical writer for U.S. military training efforts
- Member, Landlord-Tenant Commission of Fairfax County
- Past member, Northern Virginia Regional Commission, Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, Northern Va. Workforce Investment Board, Metro Washington Council of Governments-Region Forward Coalition (Virginia vice chair in 2015)
- Served as liasion to numerous town boards and commissions involving architectural review, economic development, environment and traffic safety
- Author, “The 6 Secrets to Winning Any Local Election – and Navigating Elected Office Once You Win!: A Step-by-Step Guide to Campaigning and Serving in Public Office (see below or click here:)
- Orthodox Jew; attend Chabad in Fairfax, Tysons and Herndon regularly, and study Torah evenings * Father of twins, James and Lara, who graduated Flint Hill
- B.A. Rutgers in political science and Espanol; M.A. University of Missouri School of Journalism; web development certification from George Mason University
- Resident of Mclean (Tysons Corner)
Senate District 37 map
Contact
Email: Office
Web Links
Videos
Ken Reid Virginia State Senate candidate kickoff speech in Vienna “Govt. can solve problems!”
September 8, 2023 (11:07)
By: Ken Reid
In his kickoff to be the state senator for District 37 in Fairfax County, Ken Reid notes the need to get Democrats, Independents and Republicans to vote for him based on “problem solving,” not divisive culture war issues that dominate the national media. Ken is a conservative who won four elections to local office in a “blue” district in Loudoun County.
In the speech, he stresses the need for rebate or reduction in tolls on I-66 and I 495, improving student performance — noting most Fairfax County high schools have declining SAT scores, and elementary schools declining SOLs — developing partnerships with business to get 14 and 15 year old kids at risk of becoming criminals to get job and mentoring skills; expanding community health centers to enable Medicaid and poor persons to have access to doctors, and pay for obesity drugs and gastric bypass surgery to cut down on obesity, which is a leading cause of heart disease and other ailments that cost the health care system dearly. visit www.kenreid.org
Former Rep. Tom Davis (Va 11th) and Sen. JeanneMarie Davis on electing Ken Reid to State Senate 37th
September 7, 2023 (07:07)
By: Ken Reid
The former Congressmember and Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors says Democrats have “a candidate who will be an embarrassment; Republicans have a candidate who will be a leader.” Davis mentions Ken’s pragmatic accomplishments over a 20 year career, 10 years of which serving in municipal elected office in Loudoun. Both he and his wife are residents of the 37th District Former Sen. and Del. JeanneMarie Devolites Davis, who represented much of the district Ken is running in now, said: “I just cant imagine being represented by his opponent. He’s very nice as a person, but I like to call them ‘regressives’ because there isn’t much Progressive in what they say. He’s very socialist in what he is saying and is not something we need in our country or in Northern Virginia. I think the Democrats will have a challenge in their caucus with him.”
Issues
Source: Campaign Page
Energy & Environment
Ken is a strong leader on transportation and traffic relief
Ken was the pivotal vote to bring the Silver Line to Dulles Airport and Loudoun County in 2012 and has been at the forefront of advocating (and getting built) a number of highways in the Greater DC area.
He will advocate for more interchanges on Fairfax County Parkway and Route 50, which are often bottle necks, PLUS getting I-95 widened all the way to Richmond and widening I 81 in the Shenandoah Valley. He also wants to equalize the tolls on I-66 inside the Beltway with the tolls outside the Beltway on 66. but allow HOV-2 drivers to use these lanes (and on 495) free or at a lower toll rate.
Economy & Jobs
Taxes & Spending
Support the proposed state income tax cut to help Virginians hurting from infation, high gas prices, interest rates. Negate nuisance taxes on gas electric and plastic grocery bags. Regulations that make it hard for people to go into business or maintain a business must be revised.
Affordable housing
Housing affordability is hurting our region. We have so many working folks and seniors who are finding Fairfax County to be exclusionary. It’s important for the General Assembly to examine tax and regulatory incentives to enable developers to provide more affordable units for rent and to buy. Converting vacant malls and office parks is a good start, and helping the “missing middle.” It’s time to say “Yes in my Backyard” (and two such affordable housing projects are to be built in Tysons near where I live and I welcome that).
Education
Ken supports a state Parents Bill of Rights and enabling access to curriculum by taxpayers. He also supports greater transparency in local government including school boards. Books should not be “banned” but subject to parental-teacher-administration review, and the content (whether in libraries or the classroom) should be age-appropriate.
We must teach kids how to think, not what to think, and ensure public schools still have Honors and Gifted and Talented programs, while giving struggling kids the help they need to succeed — and ensure all children are safe at school.
Healthcare
Ken opposes political interference to restrict the prescribing of Rx drugs and medical devices (including abortion drugs). Congress delegated the authority over medical product approval and marketing to the US Food and Drug Administration, and the “commerce clause” of the Constitution prohibits state interference with interstate commerce. Ken would like to see community health centers expanded to help folks without insurance or access to specific medical services due to the fact many providers do not serve Medicaid and Medicare patients.
Ken covered FDA as a reporter and editor since 1986 and from 1991 until 2021, ran his own publishing business, devoted to providing news and analysis of FDA regulations and policies (Washington Information Source Co.). Ken understands the healthcare issue.
Public Safety
Crime and Law Enforcement
Virginia’s violent crime rate saw a 10% increase over last year, and the property crime rate also jumped. Meanwhile, in Fairfax County, In 2022, there were 936 crimes against person cases across the county compared to 1,187 as of Feb. 15, 2023 — and property crimes (like theft, breakins) were up by 925 cases in just one year! In addition, there are some 180 open positions for police officers for the County Police. Across Virginia, and much of the nation, departments in urban areas cannot find officers. Why? It’s because politicians “defanged” the police and prosecutors with so-called “Criminal Justice Reform” laws to appease extremist activists. These so-called “reforms” only make it easier for some to live a life of crime vs. being productive citizens. Instead, Ken wants to create a pilot program to place at-risk students in apprenticeship and personality development programs and get them out of crime infested impoverished communities. We also need to boost funding for Community Police Partnerships and give the police the tools they need to do their job. Click here for more details.
Winning Local Elections
Source: Book page
The Six Secrets to Winning ANY Local Election – And Navigating Elected Office Once You Win!
Two-part book. Part I is the methodical, step-by-step to campaigning, outlining the key 6 ingredients of All successful campaigns for local office. Part II is about serving in office — giving you a preview of what you can expect as a local government office holder.
You also get:
- FREE downloadable artwork for yard signs, fundraisers, direct mail, phone and canvassing scripts, etc.
- FREE consultation or campaign analysis with the author (Even MORE consultation if you take a Selfie with the book!)
- An “election timeline” to customize for your campaign.
