Manassas Park Delegate Bob Marshall Hoping for Win in Senate GOP Primary

Even with one of their own neighbors on the ballot, it's difficult getting people to come out and vote in a primary, especially on a rainy day, if Tuesday is any indication.

As of noon Tuesday, 60 people in Manassas Park had voted according to Manassas Park Voter Registrar Patricia Brendel.

Because of its location, many may have voted absentee. Many residents have long work hours and commutes that keep them away from the city for more than 11 hours a day on Election Day, thus qualifying them for absentee voting on Saturday. It's uncertain how many absentee ballots have been cast. 

Manassas Park’s Del. Bob Marshall, who is running for U.S. Senate is on the ballot today with three fellow Republicans. He said he hoped that the people in the small city would vote for him.

He believed they would support him if they knew he was running, he said Tuesday.  A lot of people don’t know he is seeking the post, he added.

Marshall showed up at his home precinct, , near Manassas Park just before 10 a.m. He stepped out of his white Ford Crown Victoria and slowly strolled up the sidewalk to cast his ballot in the Republican primary.

“I’m satisfied with what time I had [campaigning]; I can’t tell who’s voting. This is like flying blind with no instruments or anything,” Marshall said of his campaign.

“I had a lot of volunteers around Virginia, but clearly we didn’t have the money that (Republican U.S. Senate candidate) George Allen did, but this— at least the way it looks like it's turning out—is a campaign of intensity, not one of name ID. We’ll find out at 7 o'clock tonight how accurate that is.”

His stance against the judgeship appointment of openly gay Chief Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Tracy Thorne-Begland in May definitely thrust his name into the spotlight, though that wasn’t his original intention, Marshall said.

“It put my name ID higher. Look—I tried to get rid of that issue without any controversy at all; you can ask Del. Bob Kline,” Marshall said.

The Virginia House of Delegates ultimately voted against Thorne-Begland’s nomination.

When asked if he had any regrets about his actions he said, “I’ll do it again.”

Marshall helped supporters put up a few signs outside of the elementary school Tuesday, as the showers moved in. 

The delegate said there were four Republican congressional conventions where he and Allen spoke opposite of each other, and at every one he got significantly more applause than Allen, Marshall said.

 and wife  greeted voters Tuesday morning at Washington Mill Elementary School, a precinct near their home in Mount Vernon.

“Well, our goal obviously is to win and the bigger the turnout the better," Allen said. "I think most people recognize that the larger the turnout the stronger it’ll be for us. We have a lot of support through Virginia because people know me.

"I had the honor of serving Virginians in the U.S. Senate, as well as governor, and I know the communities and the people, and that’s not something that’s easily done just in a year of campaigning," Allen said. "We have good friendships and relationships throughout Virginia, so the bigger the turnout, the better it’ll be for us. We’re cautiously optimistic.”

Results of today's primary will be posted on Patch tonight; look for local precinct results on Wednesday.