Northern Virginia is gearing up for a major race to fill the Congress seat that has been left vacant by Jennifer Wexton. The elected representative of Virginia’s 10th district announced her resignation in late December, and now an eclectic mix of political hopefuls have come forward to try and fill the position.
The special election on 5th January 2020 will decide who will take the reins from Wexton, who left the post to serve as Virginia’s newest senator. While Wexton had only held the seat since 2016, her legacy left many expecting a fierce battle to succeed her – now, the ballot includes over a dozen names from a variety of political backgrounds.
On the Democrat side, Loudon County Chair Phyllis Randall is at the top of the list as the presumed favorite. After serving in the formerly Republican-practice dominated local government for the last six years, the rising star has seen considerable support from local party chapters, though she faces a well-stocked list of other contenders.
While the Republican ticket is admittedly more sparse than their Democratic counterparts, the vocal support of former Navy pilot Aliscia Andrews and Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Jeff Ryer has seen the GOP experience a bit of a surge in the countdown to the election.
The final list of candidates also includes several from third-party affiliations. Among them, Libertarian Kathryn Lavelle is eager to bring her outsider perspectives to the table, while former Socialist Party candidate Adam Long hopes to leverage his experience tackling economic inequality.
The campaign for Wexton’s open seat has proven to be an enthralling affair going into the New Year, as a mix of politicians from different backgrounds battle it out for the coveted spot. The final round of voting will take place on 5th January, when Virginia finally decides who will replace the outgoing Congresswoman.
Race to Replace Rep. Jennifer Wexton in NoVa Heats Up!
