Voting begins as McClellan faces Benjamin in the Virginia 4th District race

State Senate to become Virginia’s first black congresswoman in a race against conservative preacher Leon Benjamin. Jennifer L. Virginians are set to vote in Tuesday’s historic election, with McClellan (D-Richmond) running.

Virginia’s 4th Congressional District seat was up for grabs in November by U.S. Rep. A. The vacancy follows Donald McEach’s death shortly after his third term in office. McClellan is widely expected to win the deep-blue, Richmond-anchored district.

The state senator, who ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic nomination for governor in 2021, spent nearly 17 years in the Virginia General Assembly, spearheading key legislative packages such as the Virginia Clean Economy Act and the Virginia Voting Rights Act. condition The Suffrage Act in the South.

She was often the center Her congressional bid on those legislative priorities promised to advance McEachin’s legacy of environmental justice while continuing work on women’s rights, including access to abortion and the rights of domestic workers or other issues that disproportionately affect black women, such as maternal mortality.

Benjamin, a Republican pastor who has not held elected office, said he took a page from the playbook of public safety, a strong economy and government and tried to unite voters on a campaign platform that transcended party lines. Glenn Young (R) – Parents’ rights in education. He lost twice to McEach in the 4th District, most recently by 30 points in 2022; He won the Republican nomination for a third shot at a party canvass in December.

In a Democratic firehouse primary that saw a week of intense campaigning, state Sen. Joseph D. McClellan defeated three Democratic challengers, including Morrissey (D-Richmond). He won with 85 percent of the vote and more than 23,000 votes – political observers say he is likely to win on Tuesday.

See also  The Steelers scored three touchdowns in the first half against the Bengals

Polls are open on Tuesdays from 6am to 7pm, although early voting has been going on since January.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *