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The Republican nominee for the April 21 Alexandria City Council special election has withdrawn from the race, citing the financial disclosure requirements candidates are required to file with the city.
Gerry Chandler, whom the Alexandria Republican City Committee named as its nominee Monday, texted the Alexandria Brief at 1:53 p.m. Thursday to say: "I have withdrawn because of the onerous financial disclosures required."
Candidates for the April 21 special election are required to file two forms with the Alexandria Office of Voter Registration and Elections: a Certificate of Candidate Qualification and a Statement of Economic Interests. The Statement of Economic Interests is a 25-page form requiring candidates to disclose personal debts, securities holdings, business interests, rental property, real estate transactions, income sources, and payments received for talks, meetings, and other appearances. Knowingly making false statements on either form is a Class 5 felony under Virginia law.
The ARCC posted a statement on its website Thursday afternoon confirming Chandler's withdrawal and announcing it would not name a replacement nominee. "The Alexandria Republican City Committee will not be nominating another candidate for this election," the statement read. ARCC Chairman Chris Howell did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday or Thursday before the statement was posted.
As of the time of original publication, the ARCC website still listed Chandler as the party's candidate and made no mention of his withdrawal.
The Alexandria Brief first reported Wednesday that Chandler was in Tampa, Florida, and had told this publication he did not know a filing deadline existed until the night before the call — the day after the ARCC publicly announced his nomination. In that interview, Chandler said he "might investigate tomorrow" regarding his options. His Thursday text suggests the investigation led him to the disclosure requirements.
With Chandler's withdrawal and the ARCC's decision not to field a replacement, the April 21 race will only include Democratic and independent candidates. The filing deadline is 5 p.m. Friday, February 27.
Ryan Belmore
The Alexandria Brief's original reporting on Chandler's filing deadline situation is available below.
Ryan Belmore
Ryan Belmore
Updated at 4:40 p.m. Thursday, February 26, 2026: This story has been updated to include a statement posted by the Alexandria Republican City Committee confirming Chandler's withdrawal and announcing the committee will not name a replacement nominee. The subhead has also been updated to reflect the ARCC's decision.
