Harding to Run for Ashburn Supervisor; Quijano Withdraws

Tumay Harding, whose family’s story of struggling with the Loudoun County Public Schools’ new Title IX office was featured in news reports and who has been a frequent critic of School Board policies, has announced she will seek the Republican endorsement to the Ashburn District seat on the county Board of Supervisors.

The other candidate for the Republican nomination, Ana Quijano, has decided to withdraw from the race due to a health issue in the family. If nominated and elected, she would have likely been the first Latina on the county board. She had been endorsed by two previous Republican county supervisors: previous Ashburn District supervisor Ralph Buona, and Mick Staton, who represented the former Sugarland Run District on the county board for one term from 2004-2008. She also had support from former Leesburg Vice Mayor and Town Council member Suzanne Fox and former Republican Party of Virginia chairman and county chair at-large candidate John Whitbeck.

In a statement, she asked for “prayers and to respect my family’s privacy at this time,” and thanked her campaign team. And she offered her support to Harding.

“I want to thank Tumay for stepping up in Ashburn and I fully support her as a candidate. She will do great things,” Quijano wrote.

Harding’s announcement says she “was compelled to run for office after her family fell victim to the woke culture of Loudoun County Public Schools and its reckless indifference to the safety and dignity of students,” although she is not running for School Board. “While her family was impacted through the school system, she sees woke culture infiltrating the very fabric of our county’s infrastructure.”

“I’m running on a campaign of change. As a daughter of first-generation Turkish-Uzbek immigrants, I’m especially sensitive to giving a voice to the voiceless,” Harding stated.

Her announcement included support from Elicia Brand, president of Army of Parents, the group that formed to protest education about racial inequities, referring to it as critical race theory.

“Parents have been ignored in schools and by our elected represents. We worry about the legacy we are leaving for our children,” Brand stated. “Tumay Harding is committed to hearing our concerns and doing what is necessary to ensure the safety and security of our families in our homes, streets schools.” 

Harding has lived in Loudoun County for 12 years and taught in Loudoun and Prince William public schools, according to her announcement. She and her husband Jason have three daughters.