RICHMOND, Va. — The primaries are over and the races are set for the midterms this November. Among the contests in Virginia expected to be part of the larger fight over control of the U.S. House of Representatives is Virginia's First Congressional District.
Henrico Commonwealth's Attorney Shannon Taylor defeated six other challengers Tuesday night to become the Democratic nominee and she will face incumbent Republican Congressman Rob Wittman.
"I am deeply honored and humbled in the trust that you all have placed in me," Taylor told supporters Tuesday night.
Wittman is currently serving his ninth full term and is the vice-chair of the House Armed Services Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.
"I look forward to the race. Look forward to competing. Look forward to the ideas that'll be exchanged," Wittman said Wednesday during a tour of a Chesterfield manufacturing plant with Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler.
When asked what his pitch was to First District voters for a tenth term, Wittman said there was more he wants to do with the Trump administration to improve the economy.
"We want to make sure it grows in all the different sectors. We want to make sure that everybody benefits from this and we have more to do there. We also want to make sure too that the things that drive prices, like energy, that we do more to produce U.S. energy,"
Wittman added his other areas of focus were on public safety, supporting law enforcement, and national security.
"We want to make sure we're doing things there to ensure...that we win in this competition with China because I get the classified briefs on on a weekly basis," Wittman said. "It worries me about what China is doing and the things that we need to do to make sure we compete in things like making sure we have the minerals necessary here."
The district has voted consistently for Republican candidates in federal elections in the last decade, according to VPAP, including nearly 52-percent in favor of Trump in 2024, but went for now Democratic Gov. Spanberger in last year's election with over 51-percent of the vote.
Wittman has won the last four elections with at least 55-percent of the vote.
When asked about the electoral trends in the district, Taylor said she started her career as Henrico Commonwealth's Attorney by flipping the seat in the 2011 election.
"I've had three very successful re-election and I do that because it's not just people who are Democrats that are supporting me. I also get the support of independents and Republicans and that's because when I have victims of crime...I don't ask anybody what their you know political affiliation is," Taylor said. She added she is taking that same approach to her campaign for Congress. "Because the reality is, if you're a Democrat or Republican or independent, the cost of living is just harder, and it's harder because of bills and actions like what Rob Wittman has done."
Taylor said her victory is a sign voters are ready to replace Wittman, who she alleged has focused on enriching himself and benefiting corporations and special interest groups with votes for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
"It's making the cost of living higher and harder. We know that that's a direct correlation to the prices of groceries going up, why gas prices are going up, why housing is not as affordable as it could be," said Taylor. "We keep talking about healthcare, but it's not just about trying to have healthcare in terms of premiums that are doubling and sometimes tripling. It's the access to healthcare."
When asked about the accusation that he stood to benefit from the OBBBA at Wednesday's tour, Wittman said the bill benefits everybody.
"They benefit folks that work overtime. They benefit folks that work for tips. They benefit seniors who now get less of their Social Security income taxed. They help small businesses to actually keep their tax rates low, so it helps everybody."
Stance on Data Centers
The First District stretches from Central Virginia to the Northern Neck and the Tidewater region, but Chesterfield County makes up the largest portion of its population base.
In recent weeks, residents have been pushing back against the data center industry as Google works to bring three campuses to the county.
Last week, State Senator Glen Sturtevant (R-Chesterfield) called for an immediate moratorium of new approvals. CBS 6 asked both candidates their stance on the industry.
Wittman said decisions about new facilities should be left to localities and states, but said at the federal level he put language in last year's National Defense Authorization Act to run a pilot program to construct small modular nuclear reactors on military bases and then bring data centers on to them as well.
"That's a great way for us to be able to have the capacity we need for this nation, but do it in a way that's congruent with what communities want," said Wittman. "These are decisions made by communities. Communities need economic growth, but they need to do it in ways that are responsible. In ways that work for the community, in ways that keep in mind the impact on commercial and residential customers and their cost. But, also environmental concerns like water and other resources."
Taylor echoed sentiments that it should be up to local communities if they want new data centers, but added that residents should not see higher utility costs for those already operating or under construction.
"No person living in the First Congressional district or in this Commonwealth should pay one dime more for energy or for water," she added. "They need to be paying for the impact that they're having on those communities, which means they need to be engaging in solar and other renewable energy actions."
Stance on NextEra-Dominion Merger
Both candidates were asked about their position on the proposed merger between the Florida-based NextEra Energy and Richmond-based Dominion Energy that would create the world's largest regulated electric utility.
Taylor said she has serious concerns about the deal and that it should not go through until regulators can ensure the burden will not fall on rate payers.
"And if that means to make that you have to have enough time to ensure that if there's a merger, that at the end of that merger it is going to be is going to be helpful to Virginians and it's going to actually lower costs, then that's something that our state leaders are going to consider."
Wittman said the decision is up to the State Corporation Commission, but added they need to do what is in the best interest of ratepayers.
"It's Virginia primarily, but there are also other ratepayers in parts of the Dominion service area in this mid-Atlantic area," he said. "So, I'm confident that they'll examine the full scope of what goes into this merger,and they'll make the best decision for the ratepayers here in Virginia."
Short Window Before Early Voting Starts
As the candidates begin their campaigns in earnest, CBS 6 Political Analyst Dr. Bob Holsworth said if polling shows it as a tight race, "Then, I think, you're going to see this become just an outright financial war on both sides."
Now, because the primary was held in August this year (as part of the now failed redistricting effort), the two candidates will face a quick turnaround to reach potential supporters before the start of early voting for the midterms, which is set to begin on September 18th.
CBS 6 is committed to sharing community voices on this important topic. Email your thoughts to the CBS 6 Newsroom.
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