Election 2019: Va. Republicans target freshman Democrats in hopes of keeping House majority
An intensifying front in the battle for control of Virginia’s General Assembly lies in several exurban House districts held by first-term Democrats whom Republicans consider vulnerable.
With the Nov. 5 elections approaching, state GOP leaders are working to defeat four Northern Virginia delegates: Wendy Gooditis (Clarke), Hala S. Ayala (Prince William), Lee J. Carter (Manassas) and Elizabeth R. Guzman (Prince William).
The moderate Republican challengers are mostly eschewing hot-button GOP positions on gun rights and abortion restrictions and are running on core local issues such as transportation and economic development.
With money and strategic support from state GOP leaders, they are trying to characterize their freshman Democratic opponents, who rode into office on a wave of blue victories in 2017, as too liberal on issues such as health care and climate change. Some are adopting mainstream Democratic positions or posting blue campaign signs that don’t mention their party affiliation. Their goal: to pick up enough seats to offset any Democratic flips elsewhere in the state and protect their three-seat majority in the chamber.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/va-republicans-target-freshman-democrats-in-hopes-of-keeping-house-majority/2019/10/03/bba32f0a-e08c-11e9-8dc8-498eabc129a0_story.html
