- Find out more about the races below.
- Elaine Luria, Democratic Rep., takes on Jen Kiggans from Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District.
- Kiggans, a state senator is running in an redrawn district more favorable to Republicans.
- Luria attacked Kiggans for supporting Roe v. Wade’s reversal.
Elaine Luria, a Democratic incumbent, is running for her third term against Jennifer Kiggans, Republican state senator from Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District.
At 7 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, polls in the state will close.
Virginia 2nd Congressional district candidates
Luria is a Navy veteran and the candidate Democrats used to harness anti-Trump anger in 2018. Luria is seeking her third term and will face off against Kiggans, another Navy veteran. Luria will also not be facing Scott Taylor, a former Rep. who she defeated again in a 2020 match.
Kiggans and other Republicans have focused on the economy while Luria attempted to use Luria’s opposition to abortion rights to attack the Republican.
Luria is one the seven House Democrats who serve on the select Committee investigating the Capitol Riot of January 6, 2021.
Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District has a rich voting history
Kiggans will be running in a coastal Virginia area that favors conservatives more than it did in the past. Virginia’s bipartisan redistricting committee was unable create a new map. This required the involvement of the state Supreme Court. The new map led to a seat that is Republicans are more likely to consider them favorable.
The old lines saw the seat swing from a narrow Trump district in 2016 to an narrow Biden win four years later. The new lines reduced the 5-percentage-point Biden District to a mere 3-point margin. Luria narrowly defeated Taylor by six points in 2018, but he was beaten by him by about six points in 2020.
The money race
According to OpenSecretsLuria has raised $8.7 Million, spent $5.8 Million, and still has $3,000,000 in her account as of September 30. Kiggans, her opponent, has raised $2.7million, spent $2.3million, and still has $436,622 in her account, as of September 30,
Between mid-October and now, super PACs, National Party Committees, as well as other non-candidate organizations, have joined forces to SpendAbout $9 million was spent to support or oppose candidates in the race, even during the primaries.
Experts’ opinions
Luria and Kiggans’ race is rated a “tossup” by Inside Elections, a “tossup” by The Cook Political Report, and a toss-up by Sabato’s Crystal Ball, University of Virginia Center for Politics.
