Karen Keys-Gamarra Enters Crowded District 7 Race In Reston: Reports

RESTON, VA — Karen Keys-Gamarra, an at-large member of the Fairfax County School Board, has filed to be the fifth Democratic candidate seeking to succeed Ken Plum as Reston's representative in the Virginia House of Delegates, according to reports.

Although Keys-Gamarra's campaign has not released an official statement as of 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, the news about her decision to enter the District 7 race was mentioned during a Tuesday night call with the Mount Vernon Democrats, according to a post on the Blue Virginia Twitter account.

The Virginia Public Access Project also included Keys-Gamarra's name in its list of candidates who have filed to run in the District 7 race.

Keys-Gamarra will face fellow candidates Mary Barthelson, Paul Berry, Shyamali Roy Hauth, and John Farrell in the June 20 Democratic Party Primary. No Republican has announced their candidacy in District 7.

Patch broke the news on Feb. 22 that Plum, who has been Reston's delegate for a total of 44 years, was not seeking re-election in November.

Patch reached out by email to Keys-Gamarra for a statement about her candidacy. This story will be updated if a response is received.

An Oakton resident, Keys-Gamarra has been a school board member since September 2017, according to her karen4fairfaxkids website.

Hearing it was announced on the Mt. Vernon Dems call a few minutes ago that Fairfax County School Board at-large member @Keys_Gamarra is running for House of Delegates District 7 (long-time Del. Ken Plum is retiring) https://t.co/lpxd7MDXag pic.twitter.com/zdWlD0f1lV
— Blue Virginia (@bluevirginia) March 1, 2023