Neighborhood blogger and middle school history teacher John Murden says he will run for the 7th District City Council seat if the current occupant, Delores McQuinn, wins election to the House of Delegates in January as expected.
McQuinn won the Democratic primary Dec. 6 and is running unopposed for the 70th District House of Delegates seat being vacated by Mayor-elect Dwight Jones. A special election to fill the seat will be held Jan. 6.
“What makes [a run] possible is the energy and enthusiasm and positiveness of getting people to work with each other,” through the blog, he says.
The 7th District includes the East End and Church Hill, which is facing a multitude of complex issues in the next year or two, including controversial projects such as Echo Harbour and the Shockoe Bottom ballpark and redevelopment proposal.
Murden joins at least five other potential candidates for the Council seat, including local preservationist Jennie Dotts; McQuinn’s son, James Minor; Antoine Green, president of the Richmond Crusade for Voters; Anthony Dale, a City Council budget analyst; and Matthew Conrad, president of the Union Hill Civic Association and a former prosecutor in the Virginia Attorney General’s office.
City Council will appoint someone to fill the seat in January until a special election is held in November 2009.
“Working at the schools and being part of the New Visions Civic Association has given me a perspective on the history of the neighborhood,” he says. “Not the Patrick Henry history of our neighborhood, [but] how we are rebuilding communities.”
Friday, December 19, 2008 11:31:52 PM by Anonymous
I don’t know if the city ordinance violates state law, Dillon Rule or the Virginia Constitution, but I believe the Richmond City ordinance takes a perceived attitude that disregards the estimate allowed under state law and basically says that no matter what your estimate is we are going to give you what we want and if you need more attach an addendum. If this is true then why estimate? Just give what state law minimally requires for local governments in regards to schools. Further more, I believe that the city does not require any fiscal addendums from its own departments. If this is true then it is unfair.
Monday, December 15, 2008 8:33:00 PM by Pikes Peak
As it did in the Mayor's race, once THE black candidate is determined, the race will be over. John's a nice guy. Reminds me of another local white candidate recently departed from city politics. I'm not sure he's willing to kiss the necessary asses.
Monday, December 15, 2008 12:43:37 PM by JoeRichmond
Obama's story should instruct on what happens to candidates who are labeled socialist or Muslim .....
Sure, Murden is one of those gay, Muslim, socialist foul language users ..... yeah, right ...... that's the ticket ..... folks saying this stuff are pathetic plagiarists! It didn't work the first time, why do you think it will work now?
----------------------------- "Iustitia est constans et perpetua voluntas ius suum cuique tribuendi."
Monday, December 15, 2008 12:42:44 PM by JoeRichmond
Obama's story should instruct on what happens to candidates who are labeled socialist or Muslim .....
Sure, Murden is one of those gay, Muslim, socialist foul language users ..... yeah, right ...... that's the ticket ..... folks saying this stuff are pathetic plagiarists! It didn't work the first time, why do you think it will work now?
----------------------------- "Iustitia est constans et perpetua voluntas ius suum cuique tribuendi."
Monday, December 15, 2008 12:42:36 PM by Anonymous
Proper representation of the 7th requires not only good communication and connection with the citizens, but also smarts and political savvy - assuming we want a council person to bring about good things for our district and the City.
Matching Murden's "heart" for the neighborhood would be tough, but his passion as demonstrated on his blog might highlight a -not-ready-for-prime-time naïveté
From personal interactions with about half of this candidate list, I'd say that presents a dim outlook for the 7th. Under this lens, that candidate list up there gets a lot shorter.
Monday, December 15, 2008 12:42:05 PM by JoeRichmond
Obama's story should instruct on what happens to candidates who are labeled socialist or Muslim .....
Sure, Murden is one of those gay, Muslim, socialist foul language users ..... yeah, right ...... that's the ticket ..... folks saying this stuff are pathetic plagiarists! It didn't work the first time, why do you think it will work now?
----------------------------- "Iustitia est constans et perpetua voluntas ius suum cuique tribuendi."
Monday, December 15, 2008 12:40:19 PM by Anonymous
Proper representation of the 7th requires not only good communication and connection with the citizens, but also smarts and political savvy - assuming we want a council person to bring about good things for our district and the City.
Matching Murden's "heart" for the neighborhood would be tough, but his passion as demonstrated on his blog might highlight a -not-ready-for-prime-time naïveté
From personal interactions with about half of this candidate list, I'd say that presents a dim outlook for the 7th. Under this lens, that candidate list up there gets a lot shorter.
Monday, December 15, 2008 12:39:03 PM by Anonymous
Proper representation of the 7th requires not only good communication and connection with the citizens, but also smarts and political savvy - assuming we want a council person to bring about good things for our district and the City.
Matching Murden's "heart" for the neighborhood would be tough, but his passion as demonstrated on his blog might highlight a -not-ready-for-prime-time naïveté
From personal interactions with about half of this candidate list, I'd say that presents a dim outlook for the 7th. Under this lens, that candidate list up there gets a lot shorter.
Monday, December 15, 2008 12:37:03 PM by Anonymous
Proper representation of the 7th requires not only good communication and connection with the citizens, but also smarts and political savvy - assuming we want a council person to bring about good things for our district and the City.
Matching Murden's "heart" for the neighborhood would be tough, but his passion as demonstrated on his blog might highlight a -not-ready-for-prime-time naïveté
From personal interactions with about half of this candidate list, I'd say that presents a dim outlook for the 7th. Under this lens, that candidate list up there gets a lot shorter.
Monday, December 15, 2008 12:36:30 PM by Anonymous
Proper representation of the 7th requires not only good communication and connection with the citizens, but also smarts and political savvy - assuming we want a council person to bring about good things for our district and the City.
Matching Murden's "heart" for the neighborhood would be tough, but his passion as demonstrated on his blog might highlight a not-ready-for-prime-time naïveté
From personal interactions with about half of this candidate list, I'd say that presents a dim outlook for the 7th. Under this lens, that candidate list up there gets a lot shorter.
Monday, December 15, 2008 9:51:37 AM by Anonymous
Many teachers are socialists so I wouldn't be surprised, but what I want to know is how the community is going to react to his support of the Shockoe Bottom baseball stadium?
Monday, December 15, 2008 9:46:26 AM by Anonymous
The socialist candidate is the one that hands out cheap hotdogs and stale chips to the non taxpayers promising that the dwindling middle classes and the working poor will continue to pay for everything.
The facist candidate hands out taxpayers money, land, incentives -no questions asked - to the mega wealthy and promises that the dwindling middle classes and the working poor will continue to pay for everything.
"Murden, himself, has used very foul language on the blog several times."
I hear he's gay and/or muslim.
Even worse, he wears white after labor day.
Sunday, December 14, 2008 6:27:43 PM by Anonymous
Under the Marsh reign, which includes McQuinn, the poor have gotten poorer. There were streets I could drive down when I was a teenager that now I avoid like the plague. It is time that we vote in someone holding atleast an undergraduate degree. Murden has my vote.
Sunday, December 14, 2008 5:33:14 PM by Anonymous
I hope you win. by the way, does the City of Richmond Ordinance on school funding in violation of the Dillon Rule, Va. Code § 22.1-92, and Article IV, § 14(8), of the Constitution of Virginia etc. and is the proposed Virginia Constitutional Change Legislation HJ245, if passed, in violation of Article IV, § 14(8), of the Constitution of Virginia?
Sunday, December 14, 2008 2:43:24 PM by Anonymous
Well it's certainly not surprising that you would attack JJ for riding on Delores' coattails. The Kennedy's, Clinton's, Daly's, and yes, the Bushes have all been criticized for the same thing. I guess we'll see how it plays out. JJ is very committed to working for the people of his community and has been doing so for a long time. He is very well liked and respected. He's going to be hard to beat.
Sunday, December 14, 2008 12:36:56 PM by Anonymous
What does JJ stand for other than to hold his mother's coattails?
Sunday, December 14, 2008 11:49:47 AM by Anonymous
I learn a lot about from of CHPN about what is going on in my neighborhood that I probably would have missed. Right now the front page has stories spanning from lost dogs, the civil rights movement, CHAT updates, and the new baseball stadium. Not exactly one dimensional.
I check the site every say but have never left a comment. The site is more than what you make it out to be.
Sunday, December 14, 2008 11:01:16 AM by Anonymous
I agree with one of the comments above regarding the Church Hill blog not being representative of the whole community. It's one perspective, but most of the people who participate on that site are a minority group. The community at large will decide the election, not the twenty or so people that yell at each other from their keyboards. JJ will win the election handily.
Saturday, December 13, 2008 10:26:32 PM by JoeRichmond
I certainly hope the 7th District will prove that it is ready dump the racially polarizing politics of the Marsh Machine. The last thing we need is for JJ to think he is "entitled" to the seat just because of who his Mama is.
----------------------------- "Iustitia est constans et perpetua voluntas ius suum cuique tribuendi."
Friday, December 12, 2008 10:59:08 PM by Anonymous
If Virginia can vote for a black man to be president what makes you think the 7th district won't elect a white council rep? You sound more ignorant than George H.W. Bush's son! Handing off a political office to a child of the official hasn't really been a successful idea lately.
Friday, December 12, 2008 10:56:44 PM by Anonymous
It is not a white and black thing...blacks and whites alike have lost going up against the Marsh machine...well we're tired of it. We want something new like Murden.
Friday, December 12, 2008 9:20:58 PM by Anonymous
McQuinn couldn't have wrote a better script herself. With all you white people arguing who will make the better candidate, she'll put in who she wants. There has never been a white city council rep from the 7th and there won't be this time either.
Friday, December 12, 2008 7:31:15 PM by Anonymous
What is it with people who don't live in a district announcing they intend to run? At least Murden actually lives in the 7th!
Friday, December 12, 2008 6:29:29 PM by Anonymous
John Murden is an excellent choice. He is an honest man capable of bridging the various factions/groups in the east end. He is educated, thoughtful, energetic, healthy, and he understands and respects the historic fabric of our neighborhood while listening to our vision for the future. Best candidate I've seen run for office in Richmond in a long time. He reminds me of Tim Kaine -an honest, hard working, civil servant.
Friday, December 12, 2008 4:45:34 PM by Anonymous
The tone of your venomous attack sounds remarkably like that of a potential opponent!
Murden is a solid guy, with bonafides into the community. He teaches history at MLK and is a highly regarded and effective teacher. Further, he has used his blog as a demonstration of "Democracy in Action" and has brought more people into community dialogue and conversation than anyone else.
You might not like that, given that in the pre-CHPN days, the only people who had their voices heard were the members of the Henry Gang or the Doug Gang, all of whom were practices at the art of genuflection and kissing the "rings" of the political bosses.
Murden is just what the 7th District needs a fresh voice willing to allow other voices to be heard! Count me in.
Friday, December 12, 2008 2:39:19 PM by Anonymous
Murden has shown very poor judgment in what he has put on his site. The neighborhood was a friendlier place before CHPN. Now it has broken down into factions. CHPN is not representative of the community. If this is the best we can expect from a council person, count me out.
Friday, December 12, 2008 1:46:33 PM by Anonymous
Daabs, is that you?
Friday, December 12, 2008 1:44:27 PM by Anonymous
Get Real, people! Whiney and in-bred politics have ruled in this town for too long. How much longer will the East End be controlled by the Henry Marsh Gang?
What's really "creepy" here is that this town has people in it who think nothing of screwing each other over politically and personally, literally and figuratively, gossiping about it and telling lies to suit their political agendas, but who will turn around and harrumpph about someone using a "foul" word.
Friday, December 12, 2008 1:31:50 PM by Anonymous
John Murden's blog is a poisonous, malicious addition to Church Hill. It is filled with misinformation,and libelous accusation about many wonderful members of our community. Murden, himself, has used very foul language on the blog several times.
I cannot fathom why anyone would vote for this guy. He's a voyeur member of our community and has not really contributed anything positive. He has zero people skills and sits off in the corner at community meetings. He never engages anyone. No one knows what the guy stands for, he just sits back and watches the mud sling on his site. I guess all the attention he's gotten for his creepy blog has gone to his head. Teacher or not, this in NOT the person to represent the people of the 7th district.
Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:52:10 PM by Anonymous
Antoine Green and Anthony Dale are not connected to the 7th district.
Thursday, December 11, 2008 8:00:43 PM by Anonymous
What is Anthony Dale thinking?!WTF??? He cannot work for City Council as a "Budget Analyst" and serve on City Council at the same time.......Duhh.......
Thursday, December 11, 2008 3:39:45 PM by Anonymous
This is rich. Antoine Green doesn't live in the 7th. Has anyone even seen him there?
Thursday, December 11, 2008 3:17:17 PM by fooandginger
Teachers are sometimes more connected with the community than the armchair critics who sit back and do nothing but complain. Their compassion for shaping our children's minds are directly connected with the shaping of our communities and all can benefit from this combination. This fresh addition would be a great asset to the neighborhood.
Thursday, December 11, 2008 11:30:12 AM by Anonymous
One of the problems we have with the school system is too many teachers who would rather engage in politics than education. Looks like more of the same.
Thursday, December 11, 2008 11:03:19 AM by Anonymous
