Democrats pick women in four targeted Virginia races

Virginia’s Democrats, who have not elected a woman to the House of Representatives since 1992, nominated six women in Republican-held districts today — four of them in races the party is targeting in November.

In the 10th district, which has been at the top of Democratic target lists since Hillary Clinton carried it in 2016, state Sen. Jennifer Wexton bested five other Democrats for the right to challenge Rep. Barbara Comstock (R). The two runners-up in her race were also women.

In the 2nd district, which resembles one that Democrats held from 2009 to 2011, Democrats nominated retired Navy commander Elaine Luria, who defeated a teacher — also a woman — who had run to her left. In the 7th district, which is represented by Rep. Dave Brat (R), Democrats picked retired CIA officer Abigail Spanberger. And in the 5th district, which Rep. Scott Garrett (R) abandoned this month after admitting that he was an alcoholic, Democrats had already nominated author Leslie Cockburn at a convention.

The 2nd, 5th, and 7th districts all voted for Donald Trump in 2016 but were more competitive in last year’s gubernatorial election.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/live-updates/midterms/live-primary-election-results/democrats-pick-women-in-four-targeted-virginia-races/?utm_term=.26466d34828c