The race for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District is shaping up as a battle of suburban mothers, with Republican Taylor Keeney entering the race against Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger.
Keeney, 34, announced her campaign Wednesday with a splashy video that takes aim at Spanberger, 41, for voting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California “90% of the time” and jabs at the Republican “career politicians” the formidable incumbent congresswoman defeated previously. If Keeney wins the Republican primary, she would offer the suburban Richmond district an opportunity to swap out a mother of three for a mother of two.
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“There are two Abigail Spanbergers: candidate Spanberger who will say anything to get elected — and congresswoman Spanberger, deeply partisan,” Keeney said as the video opens. “I’m tired of Abigail Spanberger’s hypocrisy and the Democrats’ extreme agenda. And I’m tired of the same career politicians failing to flip this seat from blue, back to red.”
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Decennial reapportionment has yet to play out in Virginia and could alter the political dynamics of the district.
But under current boundaries, the seat offers a bird’s eye view into the battle for the suburbs unfolding in the 2022 race for control of the House and Senate. Spanberger narrowly flipped the seat in 2018, ousting incumbent Republican Dave Brat and ending the GOP’s grip on the seat after nearly 40 years. Her reelection two years later reflected growing Democratic dominance in the suburbs in the era of former President Donald Trump.
Now, the Republicans are aiming to strike back as President Joe Biden’s midterm election approaches by taking a page from the Democrats.
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Spanberger came to politics with a background in public service, having served in the Central Intelligence Agency. Keeney’s background is in charitable service, and in recent years she has overseen a nonprofit organization she founded to provide assistance to young children in need. The first-time Republican candidate is being advised by a team of GOP consultants with expertise in running successful suburban campaigns, including Liesl Hickey, former executive director of the National Republican Congressional Committee.
The Spanberger campaign declined to comment for this story.
