Parrish takes a stab at 50th District seat

Manassas Mayor Hal Parrish is making another run for the General Assembly, mounting a bid to replace Republican Del. Jackson Miller in the House's 50th District and fill the seat once held by his father for decades.

The longtime Republican mayor narrowly beat the March 30 filing deadline to pay his fees and kick off his candidacy, according to Natalia Taylor, the city’s deputy voter registrar. It will be up to the state’s Department of Elections and Republican party to formally confirm who will appear on the ballot by early April, Taylor added. 

Parrish did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the move.

He recently won another term as mayor, running unopposed in 2016 after he failed in his 2015 bid to seize the 29th District Senate seat formerly occupied by longtime Democratic Sen. Chuck Colgan. 

But with Miller announcing a campaign to become Prince William County’s circuit court clerk in an April 18 special election, the race for the 50th District seat could soon be wide open. Miller's campaign manager didn't immediately respond to a call seeking comment.

So far, Democrat Lee Carter is the only other candidate who filed to qualify for the race.

If Parrish’s bid proves to be successful, he’ll take control of the seat his father, Republican Del. Harry J. Parrish, held from 1982 through his death in 2006.

The 50th District covers much of the city Manassas, as well as parts of western Prince William County. Any primary for the race would take place June 13, with the general election set for Nov. 7.