McPike, Butler make their cases at House District 5 forum
Candidates address taxes, immigration and housing at League of Women Voters event as early voting gets underway
Councilman Kirk McPike, a Democrat, and Republican Mason Butler offered contrasting visions for House District 5 on Sunday during a virtual candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Arlington and Alexandria.
The forum, held one day after early voting began, covered taxes, immigration, housing, unions, and energy policy. The Feb. 10 special election will fill the seat being vacated by Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, who is running for Senate District 39.
McPike announced last week he is resigning from City Council effective Feb. 9 — one day before the election. His departure from the Council will trigger a special election for the Council seat. Four candidates have already announced bids for that seat, and the Alexandria Democratic Committee has scheduled a firehouse primary for Feb. 21.
On taxes
Asked about proposed new taxes in the General Assembly, both candidates expressed skepticism about broad tax increases.
McPike said most of the tax proposals are contained in one bill that has “never made it out of committee.” He said he supports adjusting the tax rate on those earning more than $1 million a year but opposes “broad expansions of taxation.”
“It’s not, I think, great that in Alexandria and across Virginia that if you make $20,000 a year you’re in the same tax bracket as someone who makes $20 million a year, and we should address that,” McPike said.
Butler said now is “not the time to go raising taxes on Virginians and especially Alexandrians,” citing federal layoffs.
“We have out-of-work federal employees and contractors,” Butler said. He expressed support for bills that would sustain tax cuts from the Youngkin administration and eliminate the sales tax on groceries.
On immigration
McPike used strong language in describing recent federal immigration enforcement.
“A few months ago, children in Alexandria went to school and they came home and their fathers weren’t there anymore because ICE raided a construction site in our city and dragged people off,” McPike said. “Families torn apart in our own community because ICE decided not to focus on criminals, not to focus on people committing violent acts, but to focus on easy, soft targets.”
He said he would support bills to “constrain the actions of lawless federal immigration officials.”
Butler said his “heart breaks” over violence in Minneapolis and emphasized a pathway to citizenship.
“Two wrongs don’t make a right,” Butler said. He said he participates in a program called Helping New Neighbors that teaches English to immigrants, calling it “the quickest way to prosperity.”
On redistricting
Asked about HJ4, the proposed constitutional amendment that would allow mid-decade redistricting, the candidates disagreed.
McPike said he supports the amendment, arguing that Democrats need to respond to Republican states redrawing their maps.
“If you allow one side to rig their states while the other side imposes fair districting laws, what you end up is a lopsided system that is going to result in the end of American democracy,” McPike said.
Butler said he opposes the amendment.
“This whole redistricting power grab seems like it’s tearing our country apart,” Butler said. “United we stand, divided we fall.”
On the National Popular Vote
McPike said he would “strongly support” Virginia joining the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact, which would award the state’s electoral votes to the winner of the national popular vote.
“Everyone in America’s vote should count the same,” McPike said. “The person who gets the most votes for President of the United States should become the President of the United States.”
Butler said the compact needs more bipartisan support before he would back it, noting that mostly Democratic states have joined so far.
“I think NPVC has some time to mature,” Butler said. He added that he supports ranked choice voting for local elections.
On unions
Asked whether Virginia should keep its right-to-work laws, McPike said no.
“Right to work is effectively the right to work for less,” McPike said. “Unionization built the middle class in the United States. It gave us the weekend, which we’re all enjoying right now.”
Butler, a former UPS worker who was a union member, said he favors “a hybrid approach.”
“There are some professions that require physical labor, and I think the unionization of those professions and those businesses, I think, will help protect workers,” Butler said. “But in other settings where it’s an office setting, I’m not really sure that that would benefit Virginians as a whole.”
On utility bills
McPike said he is supported by Clean Virginia and does not take contributions from Dominion Energy. He called for building out solar and wind energy and allowing localities to aggregate their electrical demand to shop for cheaper power.
“Large electrical users like data centers and other new entrants into the electrical market should pay their fair share,” McPike said.
Butler said he agrees on infrastructure investment but wants a more cautious approach.
“Before we make that kind of investment, we should pilot something that we can prove works that’s measurable and sustainable,” Butler said. He also expressed concern that “unreasonable greenhouse gas emissions” requirements could make construction unaffordable.
On prescription drug costs
Both candidates expressed support for legislation by Sen. Creigh Deeds and Del. Karrie Delaney to allow the state to negotiate prescription drug prices.
“I completely support this legislation,” Butler said. “In order for us to be a more affordable Virginia, we have to control the cost of health care.”
McPike also said he supports the bill and voiced support for Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s affordability agenda on health care.
On snow removal
Asked about the city’s response to last week’s winter storm, both candidates acknowledged challenges while praising city workers.
McPike said the storm was “unlike any that we’ve had in the last 30 years.” He said it usually takes two to four passes to clear Duke Street, but this time it took 20.
“The state can probably do more to help us in situations like this,” McPike said, suggesting VDOT should make resources available to independent cities in emergencies.
Butler said his street was still not plowed and suggested the city could use service level agreements in contracts to hold contractors to stricter standards. He encouraged residents to check on their neighbors.
On election integrity
Both candidates praised Virginia’s election system.
“Virginia has incredibly, incredibly fair elections,” McPike said. “We do not have any sort of measurable levels of fraudulent voting or problematic voting in Virginia.”
Butler, who said he has worked the polls for three election cycles, agreed.
“You can’t say enough good things about how Alexandria does elections,” Butler said. “We’re one of the best.”
On voting with their party
Asked whether they would always vote with their party caucus or with their own conscience, both candidates said they would prioritize their constituents.
“I’m not interested in being a career politician. I’m interested in representing people,” Butler said. “I would vote my own conscience, and that means that I would vote with Democrats, frankly.”
McPike quoted Will Rogers: “I do not belong to an organized political party. I’m a Democrat.”
“You’re elected not to be an avatar of a political party,” McPike said. “You’re elected to be a representative for a place and the people that live in that place.”
Closing statements
In his closing statement, McPike thanked the forum organizers and Butler.
“For four years, I have served you on the City Council, and I hope that you’ve seen the things that I care about — affordability, particularly as it relates to housing, climate change, and ensuring that we have a good future for our city, our country, and our world,” McPike said.
Butler also thanked McPike for his service.
“I know that we have this historical gem of a city called Alexandria, but we need work, we need help, and we need to be able to go and bring resources to fix things like infrastructure and make changes across the Commonwealth so that we make life a little bit more affordable,” Butler said.
How to vote
Early voting runs through Saturday, Feb. 7, at the Office of Voter Registration and Elections, 132 N. Royal St., Suite 100. Hours vary; Sunday hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The deadline to register to vote or update an existing registration is Monday, Feb. 3. Same-day registration is available beginning Feb. 4 at the early voting location or on Election Day at assigned polling places; those who register same-day must cast a provisional ballot.
House District 5 covers part of Alexandria. Voters can check which district they live in at whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov.
Election Day is Tuesday, Feb. 10. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
More information on the upcoming election can be found here.
Earlier Sunday, Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker and Republican Julie Robben Lineberry offered contrasting visions for Senate District 39 on Sunday during a virtual candidate forum.
