One political analyst is now calling the race for Virginia’s 10th District congressional seat a “toss up,” the latest observation on an increasingly competitive campaign to unseat Republican incumbent Frank Wolf.
Hastings Wyman, the author of the Southern Political Report, said Democrat Judy Feder’s successful fundraising and a poll that put her points behind Wolf led to his shift in how he sees the Northern Virginia race.
Also a factor, Wyman said, is the parallel Senate race between Democrat Jim Webb and Republican Sen. George Allen, which polls show as extremely close.
“I can’t remember one [opponent] recently where it seems like Wolf had to be on his toes,” Wyman told The Examiner Thursday.
Feder, dean of Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute, has also received a $75,000 contribution from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, the group said Thursday.
The donation is a likely indication that the Democratic Party, which had written off the 10th District, has new hope in Feder.
“It’s an indication that they see this race as winnable,” said Feder campaign spokeswoman Marisa McNee.
Meanwhile, Wolf garnered a bevy of newspaper endorsements from across the region that his campaign calls an indication of his strong support within the district. The endorsements included local weeklies, the Washington Post and the Washington Times.
“I think when the papers that serve the area are writing such strong endorsements, it says something about who the congressman is and where they are on the leadership that he’s provided,” said Wolf campaign spokesman Dan Scandling.
Once largely written off, the 10th District race has undoubtedly drawn greater attention recently. Feder is buoyed by a soured public opinion of the Republicans and the Bush administration, though it’s unclear how this trend will affect a veteran as popular and entrenched as Wolf.
“History suggests Wolf will go back in, but every trend we’ve got right now is Democratic,” Wyman said.
