UPDATED: Arlington Democrat Shuttleworth challenges Moran for 8th District seat

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UPDATED: Arlington Democrat Shuttleworth challenges Moran for 8th District seat
Bruce Shuttleworth (Screen shot)
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Arlington resident Bruce Shuttleworth is the latest Democrat looking to unseat Rep. Jim Moran (D-8) from his established chair in the in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Originally from upstate New York, the 46-year-old former Navy pilot is a self-described political outsider. He graduated from of the Naval Academy and Harvard Business School and works part-time as a business consultant. He is married with twin sons and is a 12-year resident of Arlington.

Shuttleworth came out swinging with a $50,000 out-of-pocket donation to his campaign Thursday, according to Arlnow.com, and stark words for his challenger.

“I have been served by Congressman Moran for the last 12 years,” Shuttleworth said. “During this time, I have been repeatedly shocked by his transgressions in office, and his particular and peculiar lack of contrition or even acknowledgement that he has crossed ethical lines. The sorry fact that his behavior is not unique in the Halls of Congress is not a mitigating factor — that others ‘do it’ is no excuse.

“Especially here, we can’t settle or the reign of a decades-entrenched congressman who is honorable in title only.”

A win for Shuttleworth would mean ousting an 11-term congressman in Moran, who sits on the powerful House appropriations committee. Moran’s 21 years on the Hill has brought a steady stream federal dollars to the 8th District, which includes Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County.

Shuttleworth said he is aware of the challenges a freshman congressman faces. If elected, he may bring home less federal money, but would never embrace “conflicts of interest” and “flirt with sweetheart deals” like his opponent, he said.

“I would not envision being able to bring back the kind of directed spending [Moran] would be able to bring back … but that spending is highly compromised,” Shuttleworth said.

Debates between him, Moran and Democratic challenger Will Radle will wring out the differences between the three congressional hopefuls. Shuttleworth believes they will be stark.

“I think this will be one of the most clearly differentiated races in the country,” he said.

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