Jay O'Brien
Incumbent Democrat
News Editor Rachael Dickson

In the 39th district, Republican Senator Jay O’Brien is challenged by community activist George Barker (D).

O’Brien was elected to the Senate in a special election in 2002 after serving as a Delegate for ten years. He currently serves on the Committees on Transportation, General Laws, Privileges and Elections, and Rehabilitation and Social Services.

"In this campaign we are going to the voters on the issues that matter to Northern Virginians," O'Brien said at the kickoff to his campaign in March. "Transportation, public safety and education."

O’Brien was a co-sponsor of the transportation bill which introduced the civil abuser fees.

“I was a chief co-sponsor of the transportation bill because our families and our communities are suffering under some of the worst traffic problems in America,” O’Brien said. “No legislation is perfect, and there are parts of the “Transportation Compromise” that need to be improved, but for the first time in decades progress is going to be made.”

“A vital part of the Transportation Funding Compromise is the provision which brings $500 million in transportation improvements to Northern Virginia highways. I fought aggressively to ensure that the full amount of money raised in Northern Virginia remains in Northern Virginia as opposed to being funneled to the rest of the state. This provision is a great success for commuters, and I look forward to watching what a half billion dollars can do to our needlessly clogged highways,” O’Brien said in an August 8 release addressing concerns about abuser fees. He has said before that he believes the idea of higher fees on bad drivers to raise money and deter bad driving was a good one, but accepts the fact that the public does not support them.

O’Brien also takes a strong stance on illegal immigration. “Illegal immigration is a challenge for nearly every jurisdiction in Virginia. Illegal immigrants are flooding emergency services, over-burdening educational institutions and straining the courts. Over ten percent of the felons in our jails are illegal immigrants. In Northern Virginia, in some cases illegals are destroying our neighborhoods with McMansions, flop-houses and gross zoning violations. Illegal immigrants are reducing the resources and quality of service the Commonwealth is able to provide its citizens,”O’Brien said in a statement on his website.

His platform of issues includes eight proposals to deal with immigration. These include a mandatory check of the legal status of anyone arrested, the elimination of bail for illegal immigrants, punishing businesses that knowingly hire illegal immigrants, the prohibition of illegal immigrants from attending Virginia public colleges and the creation of offices of employment verification in the department of commerce and immigration compliance under the Virginia attorney general.