Fairfax Resident, Independent to Challenge Gerry Connolly for Congress

By Mary Ann Barton and Jennifer van der Kleut

Mark Gibson, who ran against Congressman Gerry Connolly in the past, is throwing his hat in the ring again.

The independent candidate for Virginia’s 11th Congressional District began his ballot petition drive Thursday, the first day permissible under Virginia law. 

Gibson finished the 2012 election with the most votes among non-major party candidates, with 3,806 votes, according to VPAP. Congressman Gerry Connolly won the election with more than 200,000 votes. 

Gibson says voter encouragement and an underperforming Congress prompted him to run again.

“I received a lot of compliments and inspiration from voters after the last election,” Gibson said, “and the dissatisfaction with Congress and the major parties is at least equal to that of 2012."

"More and more voters identify themselves as independents," Gibson continued. "I hope to build on the attention independent voters gained in the last election.”

Gibson will need to collect 1,500 signatures from 11th District voters by early June.

Gibson has lived in Fairfax since 1997, and has been a resident of the D.C. Metro area all his life. He holds a master's degree in economics and is currently the chief operating officer of a Fairfax-based small business.

Gibson has been a longtime blogger for Fairfax City Patch. His blog touches upon many of his political views and feelings about current U.S. leadership. Read his blog posts here.

Virginia's 11th Congressional District encompasses large portions of both Fairfax and Prince William counties, including the City of Fairfax and the Towns of Herndon, Vienna, Dumfries and Occoquan. It stretches from the Herndon-Reston area down to Dumfries. See a map of the district in the photos section.

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