In 2018, Virginia noticed a lot of its battleground Home districts change palms and usher in an amazing blue wave. This yr, lots of these first-
In 2018, Virginia noticed a lot of its battleground Home districts change palms and usher in an amazing blue wave. This yr, lots of these first-time lawmakers should fend off makes an attempt to flip the districts again.
On Tuesday, Virginia voters head to the polls for a Republican Home major in a single such district: the Second, which was flipped by Rep. Elaine Luria in 2018. They’ll decide her GOP competitor for the swing seat, which is situated on the state’s japanese border and contains Virginia Seashore and Williamsburg.
Moreover, Republicans will vote on which candidate they’d prefer to see tackle Sen. Mark Warner, who’s working for a 3rd time period. (Republicans within the Seventh District nonetheless must determine who’ll go up in opposition to first-term Rep. Abigail Spanberger, who received David Brat’s seat final cycle, however they’re opting to do this at a celebration conference in July, relatively than by way of a major.)
Democrats, in the meantime, are weighing in on a contested major in Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District, an open seat at the moment held by Rep. Denver Riggleman that has develop into extra aggressive as a result of the GOP is working a hardline conservative this cycle.
A number of Democratic incumbents are additionally going through major challenges: Rep. Gerry Connolly is being challenged from his left by activist Zainab Mohsini within the 11th District, and Rep. A. Donald McEachin is being challenged by longtime authorities staffer R. Cazel Levine — who argues that current officers haven’t performed sufficient to fight the pandemic — within the Fourth. Each incumbents, who’ve had sturdy fundraising numbers, are seen to be on stable footing going into the election.
Polls in Virginia shut at 7 pm ET. We’ll have dwell outcomes all through the night, powered by Choice Desk — although it might take a while for the ultimate outcomes of races to be known as.
Virginia’s Senate race: A trio of Republicans vie to tackle Mark Warner
Who’s the Democrat? Incumbent Sen. Mark Warner, recognized for his management on the Senate Intelligence Committee and expertise as a tech founder, is working for a 3rd time period.
Who’re the Republicans? Three Republicans are competing to go up in opposition to Warner — who’s broadly considered as the favourite — this fall. They’re trainer Alissa Baldwin, retired Military Lt. Col. Daniel Gade, and Military reservist Thomas Speciale.
Gade, a incapacity rights activist and professor at American College, leads the sphere in fundraising by a big margin: He’s working on a platform that features diminished taxes for companies and a push for Congress to take a extra lively position in bolstering nationwide protection. He’s additionally cited introducing the Cease Insider Buying and selling Act, a invoice geared toward countering abuses by lawmakers who’ve made inventory selections based mostly on briefings they obtained, as a chief precedence.
What’s the state of play? Warner had a surprisingly shut race in 2014, when he beat Republican Nationwide Committee Chair Ed Gillespie by lower than 1 level, however Prepare dinner Political Report at the moment charges the race Stable Democratic.
Virginia’s Second District: Republicans look to unseat Rep. Elaine Luria
Who’s the Democrat? Rep. Elaine Luria is amongst a number of Democrats who flipped districts that have been held by Republican incumbents final cycle, and the GOP is raring to retake her coastal seat this time round. Luria is a Navy veteran who’s additionally branded herself as a reasonable in Congress; she in the end backed President Trump’s impeachment, a place her opponents have been focusing on.
Who’re the Republicans? Former Second District Rep. Scott Taylor and Navy veterans Ben Loyola and Jarome Bell are vying to compete in opposition to Luria in November. Taylor represented the district from 2017 to 2019 and just lately picked up Trump’s endorsement.
What’s the state of play? Prepare dinner Political Report charges the district a Democratic toss-up, an indication that the election could possibly be shut this fall. Luria beat Taylor by simply over 2 factors in 2018.
Virginia’s Fifth District: Democrats compete to go up in opposition to a hardline conservative this fall
Who’re the Democrats? Marine veterans Roger Dean Huffstetler, John Lesinski, and Claire Russo and doctor Cameron Webb are working to get on the poll this fall, when analysts assume Democrats have the potential to retake a seat Republicans have held since 2010. Huffstetler, who has additionally labored as Rep. Seth Moulton’s chief of employees, ran for the seat in 2018 and leads the pack in fundraising, based on the Washington Publish.
Who’s the Republican? Throughout a celebration conference earlier this summer season, Republicans agreed to again former Campbell County supervisor Bob Good over Riggleman as their candidate for this district. Good is a hardline social conservative, who’s in opposition to each abortion and same-sex marriage, whereas Riggleman was supportive of the latter and confronted flak from his get together after officiating a same-sex marriage ceremony.
What’s the state of play? Republicans have a slight edge, although Democrats see extra potential within the seat since Riggleman is out of competition: Prepare dinner charges the district Lean Republican. In 2018, Riggleman beat Democrat Leslie Cockburn by roughly 6 factors.
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