There was a special election in Virginia’s First Congressional District yesterday to fill the vacancy left by the death of Congresswoman JoAnn Davis in October. Despite some speculation that the Democrats might be able to pick the seat up, the Republican candidate, Robert Wittman, won the race rather decisively:
Republican Robert J. Wittman of Westmoreland won a special election yesterday to Congress representing Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, preserving the GOP’s 8 to 3 edge in the state delegation.
In complete but unofficial results, Wittman, a state delegate, resoundingly beat Democrat Philip Forgit of Williamsburg and an independent candidate, Lucky Narain of the Hampton Roads area. Wittman won 61 percent of the vote; Forgit, 37 percent. Narain won less than 2 percent. The district includes part of southern Prince William County.
Wittman, 49, will complete the term of U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R-Va.), who died of breast cancer in October. The seat will be up for election in November.
At the very least, this should halt any talk that Virginia, or at least that portion of Virginia south of Fairfax County, is turning blue in any significant respect. The Republicans also held onto a seat in Northwestern Ohio in a special election out there yesterday.
The Dem didn’t win a single precinct in PWC, either. The best he could do was tie Wittman in the Powell precinct where only 27 voters voted.