In 2001 , Fisette became chair of the County Board , his first of five terms in the rotating position . Under his leadership that year , the county 's emergency response was praised following the September 11 attacks on The Pentagon . He won reelection that November , easily defeating Republican candidate Michael W. Clancy . In August 2003 , Fisette announced he would challenge Representative Jim Moran for Virginia 's 8th congressional district seat , saying he had experience in education , homeland security , and housing issues . Fisette withdrew from the race less than two weeks later . He ran unopposed for the County Board in 2005 , and in 2009 , easily defeated Green Party candidate John G. Reeder . Four years later , he defeated another Green Party candidate , Audrey R. Clement , in the 2013 election . When Moran announced his retirement from Congress in 2014 , Fisette was one of the names mentioned as a possible replacement . He declined to run though , citing " the contrast between the dysfunctional climate on Capitol Hill and the can-do atmosphere in Arlington " as the main reason . Fisette declined to run for reelection in 2017 citing the desire for a career change and " embracing and advancing a set of progressive values that are so important to me , values we have championed here in Arlington that are threatened by the Trump administration . " He is the second-longest-serving board member in the county 's history
September 11 attacks
September 11 attacks
Jay Fisette