Ken Cuccinelli
Incumbent Republican
News Editor Rachael Dickson

In the 37th district, five-year Senator Ken Cuccinelli (R) is challenged by Janet Oleszek (D).

“I believe that the most important issues are those that affect the people of the 37th district on a daily basis, things like congestion relief, quality education and safe communities," Cuccinelli said to the Broadside in August. “I’ve been working on these issues in Richmond by supporting teacher pay raises, fighting illegal immigration, keeping sex offenders off the streets, improving public safety, and also bringing new transportation funds to Northern Virginia.”

Cuccinelli has released a statement saying that he was never in favor of the controversial abusive driver fees, but despite that, voted for the compromise transportation package.

“I was faced with two choices. I could vote to kill the best chance at a transportation package I’d seen yet or I could swallow hard and accept the abuser fees,” he said in the July 31 letter to his constituents. He further stated that he has already called for a special session to repeal the abusive driver fees.

Cuccinelli takes a hard stance on illegal immigration and has pushed for more restrictions on abortion in the past. He supports concealed carry, including at college campuses, school parking lots, airports, and government buildings. He has also supported the gun show loophole, allowing people to buy firearms at gun shows without background checks. He voted against a bill which would have made it illegal for people who have been committed to mental institutions to purchase firearms. Yet he has also written legislation in the past in support of the environment, as in 2005, when his legislation provided incentives for drivers to purchase more energy efficient vehicles.

On the global view, he sponsored a bill related to the crisis in Darfur in 2007 that would divest the Virginia Retirement System from companies that knowingly do business with Sudan; it that nearly passed. He has received criticism for his sometimes extreme views on issues from a varietyof sources.

“Incumbent Sen. Ken Cuccinelli II is a highly intelligent and capable Republican whose doctrinaire, at times obstructionist, views on taxes and social issues have alienated his own party's more moderate leadership in the Senate,” an Oct. 15 Washington Postarticle said. “While he finally did vote this year for a bill to provide new roads for Northern Virginia, it was only after repeatedly helping to block better ones.” The Post did not endorse a candidate in the 37th district.

The Oct. 24 Burke Connection said. “You will never find Cuccinelli changing his views to suit public opinion . . . As Cuccinelli himself says, ‘I am who I am.’ He is not part of the solution to bringing more resources and more local control to Northern Virginia.”The Connection went on to endorse Oleszek for the spot.

However, he received praise for his indepth knowledge of state issues.