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Stella Pekarsky

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Stella Pekarsky
Member of the Virginia Senate
from the 36th district
Assumed office
January 10, 2024
Preceded byScott Surovell (Redistricting)
Member of the Fairfax County School Board
In office
January 1, 2020 – December 31, 2023
Personal details
Political partyDemocratic
SpousePavel Pekarsky
EducationGeorge Mason University

Stella Pekarsky is an American politician of the Democratic Party from Virginia. She serves in the Senate of Virginia, representing the 36th district, made up of western Fairfax County.[1] She was first elected to the Virginia Senate in the 2023 Virginia Senate election.

She previously served as a member of the Fairfax County Public Schools board.[2]

Early life and education

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Pekarsky graduated with a B.A. in government and Politics from George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia.[3] She is Greek-American and a practicing Greek Orthodox.[4]

Virginia State Senate

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2023 election

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Pekarsky announced her candidacy in 2023 against Democrat George Barker, who had previously represented the 39th district, which, because of redistricting, now covered the newly made 36th district. On June 21, Pekarsky pulled an upset victory defeating the sitting State Senator in a 52%-47% victory.[5]

In the general election, she faced Julie Perry, a high school teacher at Centreville High School. Perry faced anti-semetic criticism for claiming that "To come out and say you’re a teacher on the right is almost as dangerous as … going through Germany in the 1930s and saying, ‘I’m Jewish.’ It’s gotten that bad”.[6] On November 7, Pekarsky defeated Perry in a 60%-38% victory.[7]

Electoral history

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Election to the Fairfax County School Board - Sully District, 2019
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stella Pekarsky 20,355 58.45
Republican Thomas Wilson 14,383 41.30
Democratic Primary for the 36th Senate District, 2023
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stella Pekarsky 8,083 52.47
Democratic George Barker 7,322 47.53
Election to the Virginia State Senate 36th District, 2023
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Stella Pekarsky 36,802 60.85
Republican Julie Perry 23,458 38.78

References

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  1. ^ "vpap.org". The Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  2. ^ "Virginians oust Democrat who sought abortion limits and Republican who denied 2020 results". ABC News. June 20, 2023. Retrieved 2023-11-10.
  3. ^ "Stella's Story | Stella Pekarsky for Virginia Senate". stellapekarsky.com. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  4. ^ "Senate of Virginia". apps.senate.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  5. ^ "Fairfax County Democrats oust two established senators, as incumbents prevail in local races | FFXnow". FFXnow | Fairfax County, Va. breaking news and local happenings. 2023-06-21. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  6. ^ Lai, Stephanie (2021-07-30). "Republican House of Delegates candidate in Va. compares right-leaning teachers to Jews in Nazi Germany". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
  7. ^ "vpap.org". The Virginia Public Access Project. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
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Senate of Virginia
Preceded by Member of the Virginia Senate
from the 36th district

2024–Present
Incumbent