Republicans across the region head to the polls Tuesday for the delayed primary that will choose the party’s nominees for U.S. Senate and Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
The winner of the 7th District primary will advance to face Democratic freshman Rep. Eugene Vindman in November. Three Republicans are on the ballot: Rick Smithers, Philip Harding, and Doug Ollivant.
This year’s primaries were pushed from June to August after Democrats’ mid-decade redistricting effort. Voters approved a constitutional amendment in April that would have enabled a heavily gerrymandered congressional map, but the Virginia Supreme Court later ruled the process illegal and struck it down, restoring the existing maps and delaying the primary calendar.
Early voting has been slow in the Fredericksburg area. According to the Fredericksburg Free Press, Spotsylvania recorded the highest regional early in-person totals at 601, while Stafford saw 421, King George 269, Caroline about 130, and Fredericksburg just 86. Mail ballot returns also remained modest. Candidates have highlighted voter concerns including data centers, energy costs, affordability, and national security as they prepare for Election Day.
7th Congressional District
Three Republicans are competing for the nomination to challenge Vindman in the district that includes parts of Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Culpeper, and surrounding localities.
- Rick Smithers, a pastor, Army veteran, and construction business owner, has emphasized blue-collar experience, cost-of-living pressures on families, cutting unnecessary spending, and a limited federal role in education. He has said he will move into the district if nominated. Read Potomac Local’s interview with Smithers.
- Philip Harding, a Harvard graduate, entrepreneur, and founder of Impact Junkie, has focused on government overreach, rising costs and taxes, parental rights in schools, and reducing waste. Read Potomac Local’s interview with Harding.
- Doug Ollivant, a retired Army lieutenant colonel who served combat tours in Iraq, taught at West Point, and worked at the National Security Council, has highlighted national security experience, fiscal responsibility, and practical challenges facing military and rural communities. Ollivant submitted for an interview with Potomac Local’s Kelly Sienkowski.
U.S. Senate
Three Republicans are seeking the nomination to challenge longtime Democratic Sen. Mark Warner. Potomac Local interviewed two of the candidates:
- Kim Farington, a CPA and small-business owner with decades of federal financial and cybersecurity experience, has centered her campaign on fraud recovery, small-business support, affordability, and energy solutions tied to data centers. Read the interview with Farington.
- David Williams, a combat veteran and former intelligence officer, has focused on the national debt as a security threat, tax relief, cutting waste and fraud, and affordability for Virginia families. Read the interview with Williams.
The third Senate candidate is retired Army Maj. Gen. Bert Mizusawa.
Find your polling place for Election Day (polls open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.) or confirm voting details at the Virginia Department of Elections: Polling Place Lookup.
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