VA-01: Retired Marine colonel seeks nomination to challenge Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.)

[Eugene]

Source: Washington Post

Retired Marine colonel seeks nomination to challenge Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.)

By Meagan Flynn
April 5, 2021 at 3:22 p.m. EDT

A Marine veteran and retired pharmaceutical businessman is seeking the 2022 Democratic nomination to challenge Rep. Rob Wittman (R) in Virginia’s 1st Congressional District — historically unfriendly terrain for a Democrat.

If successful, former U.S. Marine Col. Stewart Navarre would face a challenging general-election contest against Wittman, a popular incumbent who has been in office since 2007.

Wittman defeated Democratic challenger Qasim Rashid by more than 16 points in November, significantly outperforming both Donald Trump and Republican U.S. Senate nominee Daniel Gade.

But in announcing his bid Monday, Navarre pointed to other Democratic gains in the district in recent years — including capturing several General Assembly seats and narrowing the margins in state-level races — as indications that a Democratic candidate with just the right message may be able to stake out a viable path.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/navarre-wittman-virginia-congress/2021/04/05/c2b24946-9618-11eb-962b-78c1d8228819_story.html

[jaysunb]

1. We'll need him. Nt

[PortTack]

2. Sounds like a solid candidate..who knows. A year ago we would have all laughed about GA

[Best_man23]

4. If this district can elect Joshua Cole to the General Assembly

We can elect a Democratic representative to the VA-1 congressional seat. I'm hoping when Virginia redistricts, some of the gerrymandering that's made VA-1 safe for RepublicanTs can be reduced or eliminated.

DimWittman is one of the GQPs who happily supported sedition by voting no in January.