GAINESVILLE, Va. – The folks at the Prince William County Republican Committee just told Potomac Local News they’ll hold a firehouse primary this Saturday, Aug. 16 to decide their candidate for Gainesville District Supervisor. Voting runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Bull Run Middle School on Catharpin Road—and it’s only open to Gainesville District voters.
Two Republicans are vying for the nod: Patrick Harders, a longtime Manassas resident and founder of a regional outdoor lighting company, and Brian Landrum, who entered the race earlier this month. Harders says he wants to carry on the work of the late Supervisor Bob Weir—particularly his opposition to sprawling data center developments. Landrum has called for greater transparency in local politics and recently accused a prominent community leader of misleading voters—charges she denies while endorsing Harders.
On the Democratic side, George Stewart narrowly edged out Jack Tiwari in a firehouse primary Sunday, winning 247 votes to 243 in a contest InsideNoVa.com described as “too close to call” until the final count. Stewart, a Navy veteran and financial consultant, had the endorsement of County Board Chair-at-Large DeShundra Jefferson. Tiwari, a real estate broker, ran on housing and growth concerns.
The winners will meet in the Nov. 4 special general election to fill the seat left vacant by Weir’s death last month. The Gainesville District has leaned Republican in recent years, but both parties are gearing up for what could be a high-profile showdown this fall.
Here’s the full press release:
The hours for the Republican Firehouse Primary will be 10 AM to 5 PM. Bull Run Middle School is located at 6308 Catharpin Rd, Gainesville. Only Gainesville District voters can vote in the primary
On Friday August 8th, Jacob Alderman, Chairman of the Prince William County Republican Committee, issued a call for an August 16th firehouse primary to select the Republican candidate for the Gainesville Board of Supervisors to fill the seat left vacant by the tragic passing of Supervisor Bob Weir. The primary will be held at Bull Run Middle School, located at 6308 Catharpin Rd in Gainesville. Election hours will be 10 AM to 5 PM. Only voters registered in the Gainesville District will be eligible to vote in this primary. The decision to use the selection method of a firehouse primary to select a nominee was made by the Prince William County Republican Committee, meeting as a whole on August 4th.
As stated in Chairman Alderman’s call, the qualifications to participate in this primary are as follows: All legal and qualified voters of Gainesville Magisterial District, Prince William County under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, regardless of race, religion, national origin or sex, who are in accord with the principles of the Republican Party and who, if requested, express in open meeting either orally or in writing as may be required, their intent to support all of its nominees for public office in the ensuing election, may participate as members of the Republican Party of Virginia in its mass meetings, party canvasses, conventions or primaries encompassing their respective election districts.
Balloting begins at 10:00AM and will end at 5:00PM., except that anyone in the registration line at 5:00 PM may continue the registration process. In order to receive a ballot, the voter must present a valid, non-expired photo identification issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia, one of its political subdivisions, or the United States government. Votes will be counted only for those candidates whose names appear on the official ballot. No write–in votes will be permitted. Any ballot with more than one candidate name marked will be declared invalid. No registration fees are required for voting in this party canvass.
Candidate Filing Requirements: Any person seeking election as the Nominee for Supervisor in Gainesville District must hand deliver a completed declaration of candidacy along with a commitment to support the Republican winner, along with a non-refundable filing fee of $2,950.00 (two thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars), paid by valid check or money order, to the Chairman (or his designee) of the Prince William County Republican Committee. Checks should be made out to “PWCRC.” The declaration of candidacy (a signed and dated letter expressing that the candidate will run and support the winner) and the check must be hand delivered to the Chairman at a mutually agreed to location on or before 5:00 PM on Monday, August 11, 2025. Incomplete or unsigned statements accompanied by an invalid check will be returned, and the individual will be deemed to have not filed for candidacy. The sequence in which the candidates will be listed on the ballot will be determined by drawing slips of paper (with the candidate’s names on them) from an opaque container by a person designated by the Chairman of the Nominations Committee.
If only one candidate files or is deemed to have filed correctly then that candidate will be declared the Party’s Nominee and the filing fee will be returned. If there is only one candidate, then the canvass will be cancelled.
The nomination will be decided by the plurality of the valid votes cast at balloting stations. The vote will not be weighted (standard voting, no ranked choice). Curbside voting will be available for individuals with mobility issues or voters with disabilities.
A firehouse primary is a term used to describe a primary run by a political party, not a state or local government, to select a nominee for a general election. The primary election for the Gainesville supervisor seat is not eligible to be conducted by the State of Virginia or Prince William County.
Use Virginia’s voter website to find out if you live in the Gainesville District.
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