PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY — Latonsha D. “LT” Pridgen started campaigning early. She showed up to county meetings, knocked on doors to talk to voters, and talked to press.
In Tuesday’s Primary Election, she won 949 votes but it wasn’t enough for the woman who was not afraid to talk about her modest upbringings which drove her to fight for children living in poverty.
Raheel A. Sheikh was the winner with 1,379 votes — a difference of 430 votes. But every vote is crucial when it comes to a low turnout election like this one.
Both Pridgen and Sheikh are political newcomers to the area. Sheikh, a local business owner, told Potomac Local he wants to focus on improving schools, economic development, and fixing transportation.
Sheikh will go on to run against Republican Yesli Vega, a former sheriff’s deputy turned homemaker who wants to put the focus on illegal immigration and to prevent Prince William from becoming a sanctuary county.
Marty Nohe has served as the Coles District Supervisor since 2003. He opted not to run for re-election to the seat this year and instead opted to run for Prince William Board of County Supervisors Chairman At-large but lost to fellow Republican John Gray in a Firehouse Primary last month.