Democrats are lining up to challenge Republican congresswoman Barbara Comstock in the 2018 midterms in Virginia’s 10th district. The field includes Army veteran Daniel Helmer, former union leader Kimberly Adams, one-time Obama administration official Lindsey Davis Stover, and state senator Jennifer Wexton.
Comstock was among the Republicans who took control of the House in 2014, and, despite Democrats best efforts, survived a tough re-election campaign in 2016. Though President Trump lost Virginia by 5 percentage points, Comstock won her district by 6.
Wexton is considered to have a slight edge over the other Democrats because her state senate district overlaps somewhat with the 10th congressional district. Comstock declined to take any stance on Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign, and voted against the effort to repeal and replace Obamacare last month, but Wexton has characterized her as a member of the GOP rank and file.
“Virginia needs leaders who will roll up their sleeves and get things done … what we don’t need are representatives like Barbara Comstock who hide from their constituents and vote in lockstep with Donald Trump,” said Wexton.
VA-10 is regularly considered to be one of the most contentious districts in the country. Like Georgia’s 6th district, in which a razor-thin special election will conclude Tuesday, retaking VA-10 has been part of the House Democrats strategy to retake control since January. The race is also sure to be expensive. Though the average House seat costs $1.3 million in campaign fundraising, Comstock raised just over $5 million to wage the 2016 campaign, whereas her opponent raised just under $3 million.
