Another Possible Democratic Challenger to Rep. Barbara Comstock: Fairfax County Supervisor Kathy Smith

The other day, I wrote about State Senator Jennifer Wexton (D-Loudoun/western Fairfax) being recruited as a possible candidate against Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA 10) in 2018. Now, I’m hearing about another possible Democrat who might throw her hat in the ring: Fairfax County Board member Kathy Smith, who I hear has been approached by “a number of labor groups” about her possible interest in the 2018 race. A bit of background on Kathy Smith:

• She “was elected to the Fairfax County School Board from Sully District in 2002.”
• “Representing over 100,000 residents when she was first elected, Kathy has been an advocate for the interests of western Fairfax as the district has grown to a population of over 120,000 today.”
• “While on the School Board, Kathy was elected Chairman three times, she chaired the Governance Committee for six years, and co-chaired the Joint Infrastructure Financing Committee, which included three members from the School Board and three members from the Board of Supervisors. Kathy is currently the Vice Chair of the Budget Committee.”
• In 2015, she won election to the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors by a 52%-48% margin over Republican John Guevara.
• Smith is, apparently, the only elected Democrat in the 10th CD who has never lost an election. [UPDATE: Loudoun County Board of Supervisors member Koran Saines as well, from what I’m told…]
• She supported holding a meals tax referendum in 2016, advertising a 6 cents/$100 assessed value increase in the Fairfax County property tax that same year, and a couple weeks ago advertising a 2 cents/$100 assessed value increase in the Fairfax County property tax.

As with Jennifer Wexton, right now it’s uncertain whether Kathy Smith might run for Congress next year. Regardless, the fact that these two elected officials are being mentioned as possibilities, and that numerous others apparently are expressing interest, is further evidence that potential Democratic candidates are feeling optimistic about their chances these days, given the intense hostility towards Donald Trump by so many Americans.