VA-07: Swinging for the fences in Virginia swing seat race
STAFFORD, Va. — Rep. Abigail Spanberger has held Virginia’s 7th District seat for three terms, outlasting other Democrats elected to swing seats in the 2018 “blue wave” with her reputation for bipartisanship. But with Spanberger leaving the House as she makes a 2025 gubernatorial run, both parties are invested in winning the competitive Piedmont region-based seat.
Holding onto open seats like Spanberger’s will be key for Democrats as they try to win back the majority in the November elections, and could provide a cushion for a Republican Party that has a tiny margin of error in its current majority.
Democrats are defending four open battleground seats next month that are prime pickup opportunities for Republicans looking to flip seats to grow their majority without challenging better-known incumbents.
This year’s race pits Democrat Eugene Vindman, a former National Security Council official who played a role along with his twin brother Alexander in former President Donald Trump’s first impeachment proceedings, against Republican Derrick Anderson, a retired Green Beret and attorney who previously lost a GOP primary for the seat. The pair is set to meet Wednesday for a debate after meeting in recent forums.
https://rollcall.com/2024/10/01/swinging-for-the-fences-in-virginia-swing-seat-race/