Updated: Del. Englin Will Not Seek Re-election
Virginia delegate representing the 45th District to step down after this term to focus on his family and personal matters.
Del. David Englin (D-45th) announced his resignation Monday night during a meeting of the Alexandria Democratic Committee at Minnie Howard School.
“Today I’m announcing that this will be my last term in elected office, and I will not be seeking re-election,” he told the audience. “In my public role, I’ve worked hard to serve my constituents. In my personal life, I’ve let down my family. Shayna and I have recently separated. Shayna has always been the true source of my strength and my happiness. I will leave political life to focus on rebuilding what is first and foremost important to me: My marriage and my family.”
In a statement released after the meeting, Englin wrote that he was "unfaithful" in his marriage.
Englin added that attention soon will turn to choosing his successor. “Our community is blessed with many strong, principled energetic and talented Democrats who are willing to step up and serve in public life,” he said. “When I first ran I was 30 years old, fresh out of the Air Force. It was a race that for me everyone said was unwinnable, but we won. I want you to remember that as candidates emerge to succeed me. No matter how impropobable your candidacy may seem to others, I urge you to consider stepping forward to serve.”
Englin's term runs out at the end of 2013.
ADC Chair Dak Hardwick called Englin's announcement "a loss to residents of Alexandria, Arlington and Fairfax" and said the committee is currently "laser-focused" on the 2012 elections.
"Del. Englin continues to be the delegate to the 45th District," Hardwick said. "As we move to 2013, we'll start looking at candidates. ... We have so many leaders in that district, the list of potential candidates who would be exemplary is too long to mention."
Hardwick said the committee wishes Englin and his family well.
"We have a large Democratic family and we are here for whatever support he and his family need," Hardwick said.
Englin has served in Virginia’s General Assembly since 2005, now serving his fourth term. He represents parts of Alexandria as well as some of Arlington and Fairfax counties. He ran unopposed for re-election in 2011.
Englin has worked on environmental, education and health care issues, among other things.
He currently serves on several committees, including Health, Welfare and Institutions; Finance; and Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.
In 2005, he won a six-way primary replacing Del. Marian Van Landingham, who was also in attendance at the ADC’s Monday night meeting.
John Arbuckle
10:24 pm on Monday, April 2, 2012
Thank you for your service Del. Englin.
Marianne Anderson
10:44 pm on Monday, April 2, 2012
Del. Englin; David, I have been so proud and grateful to have you as our Delegate to the VA General Assembly, a strong, impassioned, progressive voice for all of us. Once again, today, you have shown courage. I wish you and your family well.
Marianne Anderson
Linda Berg
10:44 pm on Monday, April 2, 2012
I, too, thank you for your service Del. Englin. You will be missed. I always looked forward to hearing from you as you worked toward providing a better 45th District and a better Virginia. Family does come first. I wish you all the best.
Alice O'Malley
8:46 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
No offense to other commenters, but the guy shot himself in the foot. I liked him, too, but why do politicios think the rules don't apply to them?
Gail G
9:53 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Alice, David clearly doesn't think the rules don't apply to him, which he has demonstrated by admitting his wrong doing and declining to run again. Everyone makes mistakes. Not everyone owns up to those mistakes and tries to make things right. I respect and admire Delegate Englin for his candor.
Alice O'Malley
10:31 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
I must politely disagree--it's not all about him but his wife and family. This is a "mistake" (read:affair) all too many politicians engage in and then expect an apology to redeem them, while the spouse has been made a fool of. Not what I expect or want in Alexandria leadership--I want ethical, moral leaders, who do not make mistakes they need to apologize for.
Autoexec.bat
10:05 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Way to not actually report the story, Patch. He let down his family. How? Why leave a key fact out of the story?
Drew Hansen
10:17 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Del. Englin declined to make any additional comments after addressing the Alexandria Democratic Committee. I asked to speak with him further after he left the stage and he said he was done talking.
Lindsey
10:46 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Drew - the statement on Englin's website states that he's resigning because of an affair, so I don't think it would be off-base to for the story to say as much. http://www.davidenglin.org/news/
Drew Hansen
10:50 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
OK, Lindsey. We put the story out about a half-hour before Englin sent out the release. I'll add it into the story.
Lindsey
4:48 pm on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
I didn't mean to give you a hard time, Drew. I'm sorry if I came across that way. I know much more about my community due to your reporting and I really appreciate it. Thank you!
Skeptical
10:30 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
If you sprayed something into the average Metro stop or crowded store that would make everyone who'd ever cheated in a marriage or committed relationship turn blue, the place would look like a Smurf convention was in town. So I don't think it's a matter of politicians thinking the rules don't apply. We're just watching them. Englin has exceeded my expectations in office, so I'm sorry to see him go because of this.
Emma-L
7:08 pm on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Likely you are correct. I (selfishly?) wish at lease some of those in office, like David, would keep to their marriage vows, if only because they actually do represent me. Unlike the governor and attorney general, who definitely do not represent me.
heydelray
10:30 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The details are none of our business. David, I respect and honor your decision. Be well.
Autoexec.bat
10:32 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
You could cite this source which is citing a statement released by his office: http://www.sungazette.net/arlington/news/acknowledging-infidelity-del-englin-say-he-won-t-seek-re/article_287c4c38-7d3a-11e1-812e-001a4bcf887a.html
Alice O'Malley
10:40 am on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Respectable and honorable David is someone who thrust himself (and his wife) into the public eye by running for office, who represents our city and whose decisions directly affect you and me. I am truly disappointed in him because I thought he was someone with a future in Alexandria politics--apology or no, he failed in upholding the higher standard that ought to be demanded of public officials.
James Thomas
6:07 pm on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
David was a good politician, but not a good person. He acted like he was single when he was out of his wife's sight. There were many stories among aides in Richmond that Englin was constantly pursuing women who would have sex with him. I wish we could separate personal from public, but how trustworthy is someone who can't even keep their promise to their "hot wife"?
Tim Roberts
6:37 am on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Englin's wife is the most important thing in the world to him, except when he's with another woman. Serial cheaters never stop, they just get better at hiding it.
Tom Robertson
7:20 am on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
David, hope she was worth it!
Scott Gordon
9:59 am on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
We do hope our leaders are ethical beings but, that being said, even Politicians are human beings and humans make mistakes. Del. Englin's service has been nothing short of exemplary. We can opine if we wish on his personal life and mistakes he's made but at the end of the day, they are his personal mistakes and his life will move forward according to the plan he and his family implement.
Cathryn S
10:33 am on Wednesday, April 4, 2012
I have been pleased with Del. Englin's public service and his representation of our district. I have no real interest in his private life, but wish him and his family well in moving through this. I respect his decision not to run for re-election, but hope he will not resign as I will miss his legislative voice in Richmond. However,
William Black
5:09 pm on Thursday, April 5, 2012
Well, at least we know it wasn't just the taxpayers he was screwing.