Andrew Hurst

Andrew Lawrence Hurst, born January 21, 1970 in New Jersey, is a Democrat and is a former candidate against incumbent U.S. Representative Tom Davis in the ushr|Virginia|11|, having defeated [http://www.KenLongmyerForCongress.com/ Ken Longmyer] in the June 13 primary, 55% to 45%. [ [http://sbe.vipnet.org/june2006/c_06_5_011.htm Democratic Primary Election results, 11th VA, by locality] June 13, 2006] During his 11+ years in health care law at the law firm of [http://www.reedsmith.com/ Reed Smith] as an associate and partner, Hurst earned a reputation on cases of high visibility as a litigator for his work, including defending clients against Special Prosecutor Ken Starr. [ [http://www.reedsmith.com/search.cfm?cit_id=1218&widCall1=customWidgets.content_view_1&search_string=hurst Hurst, Andrew L.] profile at employer Reed Smith]

Education

* B.A. in History from Seton Hall University "magna cum laude" in 1993.
* J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center "cum laude" in 1996.

Political Life

Hurst has been active in Northern Virginia politics for years, as a sustaining member of the [http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/Congress/7229/index.htm Mount Vernon Democratic Committee] and the [http://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/ Fairfax County Democratic Committee] . He was the youngest member on the National Finance Committee of Senator John Edwards' 2004 Presidential campaign, and continues to support Senator Edwards’ One America Committee and his work as director of the [http://www.law.unc.edu/povertycenter/ Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity] at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

In 2006, Hurst was the Democratic nominee for Congress against Congressman Tom Davis (R). In financing his campaign, Davis outspent Hurst over 9-to-1, $3,301,041 to $360,563. [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.asp?id=VA11&cycle=2006 Congressional Races: Total Raised and Spent for Va 11th, 2006] ] Hurst lost the race by the most competitive margin in the incumbent's 12-year career in Congress, 55%-44%.

Hurst is believed to be planning to seek the seat again in 2008. [ [http://politics1.com/va.htm Politics1 - Online Guide to Virginia Politics ] ]

Professional Life

As an attorney, Hurst is involved in cases of national significance such as the successful defense of Michael Espy against charges brought by special prosecutor Donald Smaltz. [ [http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/oic/SMALTZ/ OIC Donald C. Smaltz, In Re: Secretary of Agriculter Alphonso Michael Espy] October 25, 2001] He also successfully defended Julie Hiatt Steele against obstruction of justices charges brought by Ken Starr arising from the Lewinsky scandal. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D07E1DA1031F935A15756C0A96F958260]

Bar Association

* Young Lawyer Section representative to the Bar Association of the District of Columbia [http://www.badc.org/ (BADC)] 2004-2006
* [http://www.badc.org/html/boardofdirectors.htm Board of Directors, BADC] .
* Young Lawyer of the Year, 2005 by BADC for his work assisting emerging small businesses
* [http://www.badc.org/html/ylocd.htm "Operation Crackdown,"] begun by the Young Lawyers including Hurst in the District of Columbia is a program to provide legal assistance to residents of distressed DC neighborhoods. [ [http://www.badc.org/html/ylocd.htm BADC - Young Lawyers - Operation Crackdown] ] On a novel application of the legal theory of escheat, property owners whose neglected buildings became "crack houses" for the sale or use of crack cocaine were subject to forfeiting their property.

Political positions

Hurst has called for the immediate redeployment of the US force in Iraq. Under his 2006 plan, the National Guard would return to the United States, while the other soldiers involved would leave urban areas and maintain a US presence in Kuwait and Afghanistan. Beyond this, his political policies are generally moderate except where he supports major changes in Campaign finance reform. [ [http://www.hurstforcongress.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=44&Itemid=68 Hurst for Congress: On The Issues] ]

Campaign finance resources

The 11th Virginia district is regarded as one of the wealthiests districts in the nation. [ [http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/Comment/LetterstotheEditor/030706.html Northern Va.’s 11th District is turning from red to blue] March 7, 2006] Hurst has taken no donations from PACs or organizations, and has run his campaign on donations only from individuals and small local Democratic parties. As of June 30, 2006. over half (54%) of Hurst's funds from those who have donated over $200 to the campaign have been raised from out-of-state sources, although "out-of-state" includes the adjoining jurisdiction of Washington, DC, where Hurst's individual coworkers donate, as well as other members of Boards where Hurst volunteers including the [http://www.badc.org/html/boardofdirectors.htm Voluntary Bar Association of DC (BADC)] . [ [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/instate.asp?ID=VA11&cycle=2006&special=N Virginia District 11: 2006 Race Profile ] ]

As of June 30, 2006, Hurst's opponent, Davis has more than 50 times the cash-on-hand of Hurst's campaign after outspending him so far by more than 6-to-1. [ [http://www.opensecrets.org/races/summary.asp?id=VA11&cycle=2006 Congressional Races: Total Raised and Spent for Va 11th, 2006] ] The next report will cover to September 30, 2006. According to [http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/can_give/H4VA11020 FEC reports] , Davis's election campaign has raised almost $3.25 million from PACs in his career, and he has two other PACs, [http://www.vpap.org/cands/results_cmtes.cfm?CandKey=CX999DAVIT&CandName=Davis%2C%20Tom the Va Victory Fund and the Federal Victory Fund.] Davis is ranked 7th of 435 Congressman (after Tom DeLay's exit) in raising money from lobbyists in [http://www.citizen.org/documents/BankrollersFinal.pdf Public Citizen Bankroller's Report] ; Public Citizen recently expanded its rankings in a report, "Under the Influence: Special Interest Money and Members of Congress." [ [http://www.cleanupwashington.org/sii/sii_tables_member.cfm?Names=298 CleanUpWashington.org - Under the Influence ] ]

Family

Hurst was born and raised on the Jersey Shore, and attended public schools. He met Elizabeth Carlson Hurst while both were working at Denny's – he as a cook, she as a waitress. They married in 1995, and settled in Northern Virginia after he finished law school. Elizabeth was a teacher of learning disabled children in New Jersey and Northern Virginia. She is now a full-time homemaker and mother to three children: Emma (9), John (7) and Henry (3).

Hurst lives in the Afton Glen neighborhood of Springfield, VA in the [http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/mountvernon/ Mount Vernon Magisterial District,] where all three children were born. His family members are active in [http://www.sumcdisciples.org/ Sydenstricker United Methodist Church] .

Notes

External links

* [http://www.hurstforcongress.com HurstForCongress.com]
* [http://www.hurst2006.blogspot.com Hurst 2006 Blog]
* [http://www.badc.org/html/boardofdirectors.htm Bar Association of the District of Columbia]
* [http://www.reedsmith.com/search.cfm?cit_id=1218&widCall1=customWidgets.content_view_1&search_string=hurst&usecache=false Andrew Hurst at Reed Smith]

Video

* [http://hurst2006.blogspot.com/2006/10/hurst-davis-debate-video.html First debate with Tom Davis 9/19/06]
* [http://www.kentonngo.com/750volts/2006/10/22/cd11-second-davis-hurst-debate-online/ Second Debate with Tom Davis 10/19/06]

Organizational

*http://www.fairfaxdemocrats.org/
*http://fcdc.blogspot.com/
*http://www.va-democrats.com/ (Prince William County)
*http://www.11thdistrictdemocrats.org/
*http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/
*http://www.raisingkaine.com/