IMG_6879, originally uploaded by patherritycampaign.

It’s often said that Washington politicos are too busy focusing on national politics to pay much attention to what’s happening in their own backyard. That was certainly true for me. It took about seven years, but this weekend I decided it was time to get involved.

Ever since moving into a new house last summer, I’ve felt a much stronger attachment to the local political scene. Oddly enough, it was the steady stream of mail from the Democrat Party of Virginia that prompted me to do something. (I was added to the list because I voted in last February’s Democrat presidential primary.)

Glossy flyers for Democrat Sharon Bulova began arriving several weeks ago for chairman of the Fairfax County board of supervisors. Following the election of Gerry “Hit and Run” Connolly to the U.S. House in November, the chairmanship became vacant and a special election was set for Tuesday.

This weekend I volunteered to work for Pat Herrity, currently a supervisor who is eyeing a special election victory tomorrow. I walked a neighborhood to deliver door hangers reminding Republicans to vote. It was the first time I’ve done any volunteer work for a political campaign in more than a decade. In fact, the last time was 1996 for then-Rep. Sherwood Boehlert’s re-election campaign in New York. I was a senior in high school.

Yesterday’s experience was a lot of walking but quite enjoyable. I hope to stay involved and make a difference in my community.

UPDATE — Feb. 5: Herrity came close, but fell just short of victory. Still, Bulova’s margin of victory was much closer than it should have been given the Democrat trend in recent elections.