Rip Sullivan
Richard "Rip" Sullivan (born 1959) is a McLean, Virginia community activist and Democratic Party primary candidate for delegate in the 34th district of Virginia. He challenged Democrat Margaret Vanderhye in the Virginia Democratic primary and incumbent Republican Vince Callahan in the 2007 Virginia General Election.
Background
Richard Sullivan and his wife Beth graduated from Langley High School in 1977. After graduating magna cum laude from Amherst College in 1981, he went on to receive his law degree from the University of Virginia in 1987.
Sullivan has practiced law in Northern Virginia for 20 years, most notably with the global law firm Reed Smith LLP, where he has represented hundreds of clients in the state and federal courts.
Prior to becoming a lawyer, Sullivan was a principal force in creating the United States Institute of Peace. The Institute was recently in the news as the facilitating organization for the Iraq Study Group, which made recommendations to President George W. Bush for a new strategy in Iraq. Sullivan helped ensure passage by Congress of legislation to create the Institute, which President Ronald Reagan signed into law in 1986. Sullivan currently serves on the Chairman’s Advisory Board of the Institute.
2007 campaign
To date, observers expect the 34th district race to be one of the most expensive local campaigns in Virginia this campaign season because of Vince Callahan's political influence in Richmond. The race is being targeted as a prime pickup opportunity by the Virginia Democratic Party. Democrat Margaret Vanderhye, a community activist from McLean, has also announced her candidacy. In the primary election on June 12, 2007, Vanderhye defeated Sullivan by 1727 votes to 1578, according to the State Board of Elections.