Today: Live conversations with all three House District 5 candidates
McPike, Rivera and Leibig join The Alexandria Brief ahead of Tuesday's firehouse primary
The House District 5 firehouse primary is Tuesday, and today you can hear directly from all three Democratic candidates before you vote.
The Alexandria Brief is hosting live virtual one-on-one conversations with each candidate this evening. This is your chance to learn why they’re running, their priorities for the district, and what they’d bring to Richmond.
Viewers can submit questions live during each broadcast.
The candidate filing deadline is today from 1-4 p.m. at the Alexandria Democratic Committee office on Mount Vernon Avenue. If additional candidates file, they will also be invited to join us.
The schedule
4:30 p.m. — Kirk McPike
McPike has served on Alexandria City Council since 2021 and spent 13 years as chief of staff to Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.). He has rolled out endorsements from Rep. Don Beyer, Dels. Paul Krizek and Laura Jane Cohen, and several local elected officials. If McPike wins the seat, his departure from Council would trigger another special election.
5:30 p.m. — Eileen Cassidy Rivera
Rivera served on the Alexandria City School Board and worked in the Clinton administration at the Commerce Department and Small Business Administration. She has cited affordable housing, school funding, climate protection and support for the federal workforce as priorities. Rivera was the first candidate to announce for the seat.
6:30 p.m. — Chris Leibig
Leibig, a criminal defense attorney, served at the Alexandria Public Defender’s Office from 1996 to 2002 before launching a private practice in Old Town. He is president-elect of the Virginia Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. His platform emphasizes criminal justice reform, labor rights and mental health system reform.
Where to watch
Can’t watch live? All three conversations will be available afterward on all channels, in our newsletter, and as a podcast.
The primary
Voting takes place Tuesday, Jan. 20, from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at two locations:
Charles E. Beatley Jr. Library, 5005 Duke St.
Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe St.
Only residents registered to vote in House District 5 may participate. Check your district at whosmy.virginiageneralassembly.gov.
The winner will face a Republican nominee in the Feb. 10 special election. The Alexandria Republican City Committee is holding a canvass today from 2-4 p.m. at 221 S. Henry St. to select its nominee.