Independent Mark Gibson Running for Congress Again in 11th District

By Mary Ann Barton

Mark Gibson, who ran against Congressman Gerry Connolly in the past, is throwing his hat in the ring again.

The independent candidate for Virginia’s 11th congressional District began his ballot petition drive Thursday, the first day permissible under Virginia law. Gibson finished the 2012 election with the most votes among non-major party candidates, with 3,806 votes, according to VPAP. Congressman Gerry Connolly won the election with more than 200,000 votes. 

Gibson says voter encouragement and an underperforming Congress prompted him to run again.

“I received a lot of compliments and inspiration from voters after the last election,” Gibson said, “and the dissatisfaction with Congress and the major parties is at least equal to that of 2012. More and more voters identify themselves as independents. I hope to build on the attention independent voters gained in the last election.”

Gibson will need to collect 1,500 signatures from 11th District voters by early June.

Though the Virginia State Board of Elections (SBE) has not yet finalized its candidate information bulletins for 2014, all forms and rules from the 2012 election remain valid through July 1, 2012. In addition to presenting ballot petitions to the State Board of Elections, Gibson will submit completed forms for his declaration of candidacy and certification of candidate qualification. Filings to the Federal Election Commission and U.S. House Committee on Ethics will follow along with the establishment of a principal campaign committee.