Prince William County Supervisor Andrea Bailey will face a primary challenger in her 2023 re-election campaign.
Kim Short is seeking the Democratic nomination for the Board of Supervisors in the Potomac District, which covers southeastern Prince William County, including Dumfries, Quantico, Montclair and Triangle.
Short, 52, is a native of Birmingham, Ala., who has lived in the area since 2009. She served in the U.S. Army for 25 years, including a time at Fort Belvoir.
Short has a degree in biology from Berea College and several graduate degrees, including in political management from George Washington University. She is an alternate appointment to the Board of Commissioners for the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission.
Short said she has always been interested in politics but was unable to serve while in the military.
“I am really about how we positively impact the most people’s lives in our community,” she said.
Short decided to run because she “felt that we can do more” in the Potomac District. She wants to focus on government accountability, health and wellness and revitalization.
To increase transparency, Short said the county’s budget “should be easy to read and comprehended by everyone in the community,” and officials should provide periodic updates on progress toward strategic goals.
Short also wants to attract more business and recreation opportunities to the Potomac District.
“Right now, for a lot of the things I do socially, I have to go to Manassas … I would like to see more of those things in the Potomac District or close to our community,” she said.
Short didn’t have any criticisms of Bailey, and Bailey offered no comment on Short’s campaign.
“I’m going to run my race … with exuberance and know-how, and I stand on my record,” Bailey said.
Bailey, who confirmed her plans to seek re-election, was elected to the district in 2019 after longtime Republican Supervisor Maureen Caddigan did not seek re-election.
Bailey won with about 64% of the vote over Republican Douglas Taggart.
“I have work that I need to finish that I think my district is expecting me to finish,” she said.
During her tenure, Bailey highlighted her push for a crisis receiving center. The county plans to create a 24-hour crisis receiving center to provide direct interventions to avert emergency psychiatric hospitalization or institutional placement for people suffering mental health crises.
The unit would accept drop-offs and people under temporary detention orders to connect them with treatment and services.
The facility would include 16 adult and youth beds at full buildout, although the first phase will have eight beds.
Last month, the county approved a lease agreement to open the facility at the old Gander Mountain building in Woodbridge.
“That’s a big deal in our county,” Bailey said.
Bailey said the district also needs more affordable housing at a wide range of income levels.
Bailey and Short are the only candidates to announce campaigns in the district.
All eight seats on the Board of Supervisors will be up in the 2023 election. Supervisor Victor Angry, D-Neabsco, is the only other incumbent to announce re-election plans as of Aug. 9.