Virginia's 10th Congressional District election (June 12, 2018 Democratic primary)
- General election: Nov. 6
- Voter registration deadline: Oct. 15
- Early voting: N/A
- Absentee voting deadline: Nov. 6
- Online registration: Yes
- Same-day registration: No
- Voter ID: Photo ID required
- Poll times: 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
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| Virginia's 10th Congressional District |
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| Democratic primary Republican primary General election |
| Election details |
| Filing deadline: March 29, 2018 |
| Primary: June 12, 2018 General: November 6, 2018 Pre-election incumbent: Barbara Comstock (Republican) |
| How to vote |
| Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Voting in Virginia |
| Race ratings |
Inside Elections: Tilt Democratic Sabato's Crystal Ball: Lean Democratic |
| Ballotpedia analysis |
| U.S. Senate battlegrounds U.S. House battlegrounds Federal and state primary competitiveness Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018 |
| See also |
U.S. Senate • 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th Virginia elections, 2018 U.S. Congress elections, 2018 U.S. Senate elections, 2018 U.S. House elections, 2018 |
State Sen. Jennifer Wexton (D) defeated former senior State Department official Alison Kiehl Friedman (D), Army veteran Daniel Helmer (D), former Obama administration official Lindsey Davis Stover (D), and two other Democrats in the primary for Virginia's 10th Congressional District.[1]
Wexton rounded up endorsements from state figures like Gov. Ralph Northam (D) and Rep. Gerald Connolly (D), while other candidates used advertising to try to break through the pack.
Helmer gained media attention after releasing an undercover video showing him purchase a semiautomatic rifle without a background check at a gun show.[2] He had the backing of VoteVets.org, which spent $175,000 on a media buy for him at the end of May.[3]
Friedman had the largest fundraising total of any Democrat in the race, bringing in $1.4 million through the first quarter of 2018, but her campaign was general election-focused. Her first television campaign ad discussed gun violence in schools, contrasting her position on firearms regulation to incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock (R)'s.[4] She had been criticized for moving to Virginia from Washington, D.C., shortly before becoming a candidate.[5]
Wexton faced Comstock for this battleground seat that simultaneously backed Hillary Clinton (D) by 10 points in the 2016 presidential election and re-elected Comstock.[6]
| Virginia voter? Dates you need to know. | |
|---|---|
| Primary election | June 12, 2018 |
| Candidate filing deadline | March 29, 2018 |
| Registration deadline | May 21, 2018 |
| Absentee application deadline | June 9, 2018 |
| General election | November 6, 2018 |
| Voting information | |
| Primary type | Open |
| Polling locations: Go to this page to find early voting locations and your assigned precinct for election day. | |
For more on related elections, please see:
- Virginia's 10th Congressional District election (June 12, 2018 Republican primary)
- Virginia's 10th Congressional District election, 2018
- United States House Democratic Party primaries, 2018
- United States House Republican Party primaries, 2018
- Democratic Party primaries in Virginia, 2018
- Republican Party primaries in Virginia, 2018
Candidates and election results
The following candidates ran in the Democratic primary for U.S. House Virginia District 10 on June 12, 2018.
Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for U.S. House Virginia District 10
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Jennifer Wexton | 41.9 | 22,405 |
 | Alison Kiehl Friedman | 23.0 | 12,283 | |
 | Lindsey Davis Stover | 16.0 | 8,567 | |
 | Dan Helmer | 12.5 | 6,712 | |
 | Paul Pelletier | 3.8 | 2,010 | |
 | Julia Biggins | 2.8 | 1,513 | |
| Total votes: 53,490 | |||
 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates
- Michael Pomerleano (D)
- Shadi Ayyas (D)
- Julien Modica (D)
- Kimberly Adams (D)
- Deep Sran (D)
- David Hanson (D)
Top candidates
The candidates below had either led in polls, received support from U.S. elected officials, or been mentioned by media coverage as top contenders. They are listed in alphabetical order.
Alison Friedman (D)
Friedman worked as the executive director of ASSET, an anti-slavery non-governmental organization, before becoming a senior official at the State Department under the Obama administration. She also worked in the national security sector on issues relating to transportation infrastructure, airport security, and human rights.[7][8]
She decided to run after her daughter said she feared expressing her political opinions. "We talked about how being an American means being able to stand up for what you believe in, even if the people in power disagree. And how, in our family, when we see something unfair, we do something to change it. That’s why I decided to run for Congress in Virginia’s 10th District," Friedman said.[7]
On her campaign website, she listed expanding economic opportunity, improving infrastructure and public transportation, and healthcare as some of her policy priorities.[9]
Daniel Helmer (D)
Helmer attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point before serving tours in Afghanistan, Iraq, South Korea, and several domestic postings. In addition to being a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, Helmer has worked as a business strategist in the private sector advising both U.S. government agencies and companies.[10]
“I think this [2016] election was a call to action, because there’s a break in trust between our government and our people,” Helmer said of why he entered the race. “And there are seminal moments in history when we need to make sure that our sacred obligation between our government and our people remains in place, and that in order to meet that we need fresh perspective and new leadership.”[11]
On his campaign website, Helmer listed gun safety, expanding the Affordable Care Act to include a Medicare for All option, and job creation as some of his policy priorities.[12]
Jennifer Wexton (D)
After graduating from the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at the College of William & Mary, Wexton worked in private practice and as an assistant commonwealth’s attorney. She also served as a guardian ad litem and substitute judge in district court. Wexton was elected to the state Senate in 2014 representing District 33.[13]
“The most important part of my job has been working to help and protect kids, families, and our most vulnerable neighbors. That’s why I ran to represent our community in the state Senate, and that’s why I’m running for Congress," she said when announcing her candidacy.[14]
On her campaign website, Wexton identified criminal justice interventions, disability rights, and improving public schools as some of her policy priorities.[15]
Candidates
Democratic primary candidates
Did not make the ballot:
Endorsements
The table below summarizes the endorsements Ballotpedia identified for the top Democratic candidates in the primary for Virginia's 10th Congressional District.
Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at editor@ballotpedia.org.
| Democratic candidate endorsements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Endorsement | Friedman | Helmer | Wexton |
| Federal officials | |||
| U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.)[16] | ✔ | ||
| U.S. Rep. Donald McEachin (D-Va.)[16] | ✔ | ||
| State officials | |||
| Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D)[17] | ✔ | ||
| Organizations | |||
| VoteVets.org[16] | ✔ | ||
| Notable individuals | |||
| Dolores Huerta, labor and civil rights activist[18] | ✔ | ||
Debates and forums
May 26, 2018, candidate forum
The Fairfax NAACP hosted a candidate forum attended by all six Democratic candidates and Republican Shak Hill, where they discussed race and law enforcement, decriminalization of marijuana, and healthcare and the elderly.[19]
- Find The Washington Post round-up of the candidate forum here.
- Find a livestream of the forum on the Facebook page for the Fairfax NAACP here.
April 10, 2018, candidate forum
Manassas & Manassas Park Cities Democratic Committee, the PWC Gainesville Magisterial District Democratic Committee, and Indivisible NoVA West jointly organized a candidate forum attended by all six Democratic candidates on April 10, 2018.
Alex Koma of InsideNOVA described the candidates as being "in violent agreement on all policy matters, especially when it came to gun safety—but the night wasn’t devoid of rhetorical fireworks."[20] Wexton was criticized for her support of gun legislation in 2016 requiring Virginia to recognize concealed carry permits from other states and prohibitng someone under a permanent protective order to possess a firearm.[20][21]
Helmer said, "That deal was called ‘a gift to the NRA.' ... It’s time to elect politicians who do the right thing not only in the bright spotlight of tragedy, but also in the dark corridors of power, where it matters.”[20]
Wexton defended herself, saying, "It’s easy to sit in judgment when you’re sitting on the sidelines and not having to be down in the trenches. ... This was a bipartisan, historic gun deal.”[20]
- Find the InsideNOVA round-up of the candidate forum here.
Campaign themes and policy stances
Campaign themes
These were the policy positions listed on the candidates' websites, if available.
Alison Friedman
| “ |
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY Our challenge is to manage the economy so everyone in the 10th district has the opportunity to obtain and keep a good job, get the education and skills they need, and achieve the economic security we deserve. Expanding Opportunity: We spend $670 billion in federal tax incentives each year and the majority of those benefits help the wealthy build wealth and do little to expand opportunities for working families to create wealth through home ownership, starting a business or training for a career. We can fix this. It’s not just the right thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do in the new economy. Living Wage: We encourage productivity and growth when hard work pays. Equal Pay for Equal Work and a Truly Inclusive Economy: Women in the 10th district make $.61 for every $1 men make—that’s the worst in Virginia, bad for our families and bad for our economy. Women and people of color are also increasingly owners of business startups; supporting them helps us all. Childcare, family planning, paid family and medical leave, and our physical safety are economic and infrastructure issues. Tax Reform: We can grow our economy by adopting competitive tax rates and providing incentives based on the highest likely return instead of the most influential lobbyist. TRANSPORTATION Traffic on Route 7 and on I-66 leaves our workers and families jammed for hours each week. While we stand still, other world economies are investing in moving people and goods efficiently. Sound infrastructure improves day to day lives and our competitiveness. Roads that Support Workers and Business: It’s not just about the daily commute to D.C.—it’s about expanding innovation. We have a growing network of businesses and commerce within Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties that we can’t afford to suffocate with traffic. Infrastructure that Keeps Pace with Growth: The day we pump the last drop of gasoline into a car is not far off. Driverless cars are already underway. We must prepare for this economic transition with an infrastructure plan that’s suited to the job. Public Transportation Options: Metro is vital to businesses and commuters in Virginia 10. I’ll work to give it a sustainable federal funding base. HEALTH CARE Health care spending in the U.S. remains over 15% of our economy, one of the highest percentages in the developed world. Many other countries deliver lower costs and superior outcomes. While we have made some progress in recent years, we still face important policy imperatives to expand coverage, drive down the costs of prescription drugs and care, and get better results. I believe that any proposal for health care must answer three fundamental questions: How will it impact people? How much will it cost? What will be the process for implementation? Efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act were never about health care. They’ve always been about politics, an explicit statement that the concerns of 32 million Americans (40,000 of whom are Northern Virginians) do not matter. With more people in the gig economy, we need a strong health care system to support the workforce of the future. EDUCATION Virginia 10 is one of the most educated districts in the country, and it’s no coincidence it is also one of the most prosperous. Maintaining our edge requires maintaining our commitment to local schools where everyone receives the education they need. Skills the Market Demands: We need to be nimble in adapting our training programs for changing workforce needs, particularly for those who don’t pursue a 4-year college education. This includes strong support for community colleges. Supporting Teachers: Their hard work is the backbone of education, and I will support them. Rejecting the Privatization of Public Education. Promoting STEM Education: This is an increasing priority as our economy demands more technical jobs and faces growing shortages. Opening the Doors to College: A child with a college savings account is 7x more likely to go to college than a child who doesn’t have an account, even though the average balance in these accounts is less than $500. Every child should grow up believing in the possible. Community Voice: Parents and communities know what they need, and we need to listen to their concerns and hopes. Students at the Center: Decisions in education policy should always prioritize what is in the best interests of students - their aspirations, their growth, their passion, their learning, their future. NATIONAL SECURITY The world is too complex--and America’s role too critical--to govern by tweet and tantrum. In my years at the State Department—so much was in constant flux—and yet the standing of America, and our unique ability to positively influence allies and adversaries alike endured. That fundamental role—enabled by the critical work of so many in Virginia’s 10th District—made us—and the world—safer. America has lost its standing in the world and the President has proven himself incapable of the attention, discipline, and thoughtfulness necessary to lead in these precarious times. Our national security is best served by listening to experts, honoring our commitments, and carefully considering the ramifications of U.S. foreign policy. Adequately Staffing and Supporting Key Foreign Policy Positions: We can ensure a fully staffed State Department and re-commit to honoring the integrity of the intelligence community by implementing meaningful prohibitions on political meddling. The only agenda in our intelligence products should be keeping people safe, not scoring political points. Honoring our Commitments to Our Allies; Holding Interfering Nations Accountable: As sure as we must keep our promises that help to keep the peace, we have to ensure that our elections and borders, redlines and fundamental values are well-protected. Speaking with One, Considered Voice: North Korea, the Paris Agreement, and military personnel decisions are too complex to govern by fits of ego. Americans deserve better. ENVIRONMENT I believe in science. I believe in facts. I get that climate change is real, we are responsible, and we need to be responsible about addressing it. Addressing Reality Rather than Debating It: The ideological debate about climate change is moot. We need real disaster preparedness plans to deal with the consequences of climate change taking place before our eyes. Independence from Dominion Energy: My campaign will neither solicit nor accept contributions from Dominion Energy. Opposing the Atlantic Coast Pipeline. Chesapeake Bay Restoration: It is absolutely critical to all of Northern Virginia, and troubling that it was left out of President Trump’s budget. VETERANS We owe more than a debt of gratitude to those who serve. Ensuring Opportunities, Reintegration Services, and Health care: Housing, support for job transitions and training, and health care—including mental health—must be treated as the critical priorities they are. Honoring our Commitments and the Benefits Veterans Earn: I support easing transferability of benefits within families. Military service doesn’t only affect the person deployed; it’s a family sacrifice, and our policies should reflect that. IMMIGRATION Comprehensive immigration reform needs to happen once and for all – reforms that respect people who have lived, worked, and paid taxes in their communities for decades. Barbara Comstock suggested we should be able to track immigrants like we track FedEx packages—that’s just wrong. WOMEN’S HEALTH I support hard-won gains under the Affordable Care Act, and I won’t stop there. Privacy and Fairness: Women should be allowed to make health care decisions with medical professionals and their loved ones. Female medical procedures and medication shouldn’t cost more or be disproportionately excluded from coverage. Reproductive Freedom: I fully support a woman’s right to choose. Planned Parenthood: I believe in the critical services Planned Parenthood provides—on everything from family planning to breast cancer screening. Family and Medical Leave—This matters, not just for women, but all of us. CRIME I have spent my life advocating for the importance of the rule of law and understand that requires law enforcement officials get the tools and training they need to play a constructive role in advancing justice. Helping Local Police Keep Their Communities Safe: Deals between police and Immigration Control and Enforcement (ICE) hinder local police efforts to address the broader safety concerns of a community. Where people feel unsafe reporting crimes, crime flourishes. Community Policing: I believe in a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. When police officers are active members of the communities they’re protecting, everyone is safer. GUN VIOLENCE Mass shootings continue to grab headlines and shatter lives, and yet our government has made almost no effort to prevent another tragedy. In the daily headlines, we often miss the other side of gun violence—the regular and now predictable death toll of shooting crimes across the country. We can take meaningful steps to make a difference: Closing the Gun Show Loophole: We have the technology to take this safety measure at minimum inconvenience to purchasers. Banning Military-Style Assault Weapons. Facts: We can reverse the current restriction that prohibits NIH from researching gun violence and prevention as a public health crisis. Opposing Reciprocity: We can’t allow people who would not qualify for a concealed carry permit in Virginia to bring their weapons into the Commonwealth. See: Charlottesville. HUMAN TRAFFICKING I’m running for Congress because I won’t abide abuses of power. Building on my time as a diplomat at the State Department, I’ll make sure we continue to champion freedom by fighting human trafficking at home and abroad. Fully Funding the National Human Trafficking Hotline: Human trafficking doesn’t only happen elsewhere. It happens here in our communities and we need to support community resources to deal with it. Survivor-Led Interventions: We must continue to support the importance of survivor-led policy formation and implementation. Survivors of these crimes know best how they happen and how to stop them. They must be included, respected, and followed. Commercial Sex Prohibitions: All U.S. Government workers should be prohibited from purchasing commercial sex as a condition of employment. Innovations in Federal Government Contracting: The U.S. Government is the largest supply chain in the world. If we buy and contract responsibly, we shift global norms away from human trafficking and towards dignity. CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORM Over the years, sincere attempts to curb the influence of money in elections have been thwarted by loopholes. Consequently, money spent in each successive election sets an all-time high. Reverse Citizens United: I strongly support reversing Citizens United, demanding transparency for unreported secret political contributions and reforming our campaign finance system. This will not only shine a light on who is paying to influence campaigns, but will also help block illegal foreign funds from tainting our process. Stop Special Interests: The Citizens United decision has opened the floodgates to even more special interest influence. And a class of billionaire oligarchs, many extreme ideologues, or corporate players with a narrow and self-interested agenda have played an outsized role in funding campaigns. I’ll fight back against outside money in campaigns. Gerrymandering: Virginia has been described as one of the most gerrymandered states in America. Both parties have drawn district lines for the interest of partisan advantage instead of democratic representation. I’ll strongly back measures to restore fair representation to our democracy. OPIOIDS A Comprehensive Approach to the Opioid Crisis: We have to address the continuum of responsibility for this epidemic, with pharmaceutical companies and MS13 alike. This crisis is best addressed by meaningful treatment, training for medical personnel and first responders, and law enforcement. We can’t arrest our way out of this epidemic, and narrowing our focus to police activity only hurts our ability to comprehensively address community needs.[22] |
” |
| —Alison for Congress[23] | ||
Dan Helmer
| “ |
PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN FROM GUN VIOLENCE Dan believes that the weapons of war that he carried in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq have no place on our streets - or in our schools. He supports universal background checks for all gun sales, a ban on bump stocks, assault rifles, and high capacity magazines, and opposes concealed carry reciprocity. Dan supports fully repealing the Dickey Amendment and allowing the CDC to research gun violence as a public health issue. As the husband of a public school teacher and father of two young boys, Dan is particularly disturbed by the proliferation of school shootings - and by the inaction of Washington on this issue. In Congress, he will be a staunch advocate of improving gun safety laws. AMERICA’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM For most of his adult life – on active duty in the Army and now as an Army Reservist – Dan and his family received their health care through the military. He believes that all Americans have a right to quality, affordable health care, just as he has received. The United States is the richest and most powerful nation in the history of the world, but our healthcare system fails to ensure that all of our citizens have access to the medical care they need. Our system is also excessively expensive. Dan wants to strengthen the Affordable Care Act by adding a Medicare-for-All Option, so that anyone without access to private insurance through their employer, or does not like their insurance, has the option to buy into Medicare at an income-adjusted rate. THE ECONOMY AND JOB CREATION Dan Helmer is the descendant of immigrants -- a number of whom launched small businesses after arriving in America. When Dan began his career in business, it was with deep admiration for the grit and courage behind such successful entrepreneurship. Since then, as a strategic adviser to a wide range of American companies, he has improved their efficiency, capacity to innovate, and ability to create new, high-paying jobs. He also worked with these businesses to ensure that manufacturing remained in the United States. As a member of Congress, he will encourage enterprise, foster a smart regulatory environment, and protect consumers. PROTECTING OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE, AND POWERING A NEW CENTURY OF GROWTH The Helmers often spend their weekends hiking and swimming in the forests and lakes of northern and western Virginia and camping in National Parks. As a member of Congress, Dan will ensure that his sons – and all American children – have the opportunity to grow up and raise their own families in a country whose water, air, and land remain beautiful, safe, and clean. Having spent most of his career defending the security of our nation, Dan believes that climate change is one of the top national security threats that we face. To mitigate it, we need to be aggressively investing in renewable energy and remove the subsidies that exist for fossil fuels. Dan refuses to take campaign contributions from fossil fuel companies (or any other corporate PACs). We do not need to choose between growing the economy and protecting the environment. Investments in renewable energy, secure and efficient electricity distribution, and updated transportation infrastructure will not only protect our environment, but will create high-quality American jobs. SAFETY AT HOME AND ABROAD As an Army officer for more than a decade, Dan saw the consequences of war firsthand, and believes we should always strive to put diplomacy first. For this reason, he has been endorsed by a wide range of national security leaders. When Ambassador Reuben Brigety, Ambassador to the African Union under President Obama, announced his endorsement of Dan, he stated: "In the deserts of Iraq, Dan witnessed firsthand the consequences of foreign policy missteps and a lack of courage by those in Congress to avoid a war of choice. He will have the backbone to stand up for U.S. leadership in the world -- leadership that puts diplomacy first and views force as a last resort. In the world arena, I know that Dan will be a fierce advocate for peace and for collaboration to address global challenges that impact us everyday." In Congress, Dan will improve our security and act as a fierce advocate for our troops and for the necessity of providing them with the training and equipment they need to do the jobs that are asked of them. He will help maintain strong alliances and will advocate for the destruction of ISIS and the prevention of nuclear proliferation. He will ensure that our Veterans have access to high quality healthcare and resources and that the spouses of service members have the opportunity to pursue meaningful careers. WOMEN'S HEALTH Dan is strongly in favor of a woman's right to choose. He recognizes that reproductive education and preventative health care services constitute the best means of limiting unwanted pregnancies, and, more broadly, he supports efforts to ensure quality, affordable healthcare for all Americans. He supports requiring insurance companies to cover birth control. He is a steadfast supporter of Planned Parenthood and of its status as a recipient of Federal funding. Dan believes that women should pay no more for their health care than do men, and he is in favor of ending taxes on feminine hygiene products. SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE Dan believes that we must provide a healthy and dignified retirement for our citizens. Social Security and Medicare are critical to achieving that aim, and Dan will ensure that we meet our obligations to seniors by protecting these critical programs. EDUCATION AND OUR WORKFORCE As the husband of a public school teacher and the father of two boys getting a public school education, Dan cares deeply about the quality of our schools and the support we provide to our teachers. Our education system needs to prepare our children for the challenges of a competitive global economy. Dan will support policies that enable all children to thrive and that provide teachers with the support, tools, and resources they need to educate all students. Twenty-first century jobs will require advanced degrees, and Dan will work to ensure all citizens have access to a high quality, affordable college education. CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT Our Founders recognized that the greatest threat to the U.S. political system was an over-powerful Executive. This continues to be true. In Congress, Dan will work to restore Congress’ role in ensuring oversight of the President and protection of our Constitutional rights. He believes that Donald Trump consistently undermines our norms and laws, and supports his impeachment. Dan supports a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United, and before that happens, supports taking near-term steps to increase the transparency of campaign finance and reduce the influence of special interest money in our government. BUILDING AN INCLUSIVE SOCIETY Welcoming immigrants: Dan comes from a family of immigrants and refugees who were welcomed into the United States after fleeing religious persecution abroad. He believes that immigration strengthens our economy, national security, and culture. Dan will advocate in Congress for justly-administered, orderly, and welcoming immigration policies that maintain our nation's security without compromising the humanity of those who wish to join us as Americans by discriminating against them on the basis of religion or race. Fighting sexual harassment: Dan will make fighting sexual harassment a top priority and fight for laws that protect women and victims from retribution in the workplace. In the military, he believes that the investigation and handling of sexual harassment/assault claims should be taken out of the chain of command. Freedom and equality: Dan believes that it is the right of every American to worship, speak, vote, and love as they please. He will fight discrimination of any kind. Dan believes in equal pay for equal work, freedom of expression, marriage equality, and all citizens’ right to vote without undue burden.[22] |
” |
| —Helmer for Congress[24] | ||
Jennifer Wexton
| “ |
Criminal Justice Reform The criminal justice system does not always work in ways that are fair or just. As a former prosecutor, substitute judge, legal advocate for children, and as a legislator, Jennifer has seen this all too clearly. One example: Virginia leads the nation in prosecuting kids criminally for even minor incidents that take place in our schools. That’s why she passed legislation to promote alternatives to suspension, including positive behavior incentives, mediation, peer-to-peer counseling, community service, and other intervention alternatives so that we’re sending fewer of our children into the school-to-prison pipeline. During her time as a prosecutor, Jennifer locked up criminals, providing justice for victims and their families. Jennifer believes our nation should be able to provide justice while also correcting injustices that plague our criminal justice system and lead to mass incarceration. Congress should make our system more effective, efficient, and equitable for all. Jennifer supports reforming mandatory minimums, ending use of for-profit private prisons, working with localities and states to promote community policing, supporting reentry programs and voting rights restoration, supporting drug and veterans courts, and decriminalizing simple possession of small amounts of marijuana. Disability Rights In the State Senate, Jennifer has been a staunch advocate for people with disabilities. She passed legislation that closed a loophole and extended parental support for severely disabled and special-needs children over age eighteen, giving relief to single parents. She also created a law that stems the school-to-prison pipeline, which disproportionately impacts children with disabilities, by implementing alternatives to suspension. She has fought for increased funding for Intellectual Disabilities (ID)/Developmental Disability (DD) Waiver slots to shrink waiting lists, the implementation of a more inclusive environment for students with disabilities, expanded state and local employment opportunities for those with disabilities, a focus on patient-centered, community-based centers and housing options, and Medicaid expansion to cover our most vulnerable Virginians. In Congress, Jennifer will continue to be an advocate for a more inclusive America for people with disabilities. She will defend the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Social Security Disability Insurance Program, expand educational and employment opportunities for people with disabilities, and protect funding for Medicaid and other affordable healthcare programs. Education Jennifer is a product of public education from elementary through law school, and both her children attend Loudoun County Public Schools. She believes strongly that every Virginian deserves a high-quality public education from their first day of pre-k to their college graduation. In the State Senate, she has advocated to eliminate unnecessary standardized tests and modernize the manner in which our kids learn and are taught. She passed legislation that will stem the school-to-prison pipeline by establishing alternatives to long-term and short-term suspensions which disproportionately affect minorities and students with disabilities. Jennifer also opposed reckless efforts by Republicans to take away local control of schools. Her strong support for education earned her the “Solid as a Rock” award from Virginia Education Association and the endorsements of the Loudoun and Fairfax Education Association PACs in her State Senate campaigns. Jennifer is proud of the quality and standing of Virginia’s public colleges and universities, but she knows college tuition is too high, and often a college degree is out of reach or leaves students with crippling debt. In the State Senate, Jennifer has sponsored bills that would create a Student Loan Refinancing Program, which will give students opportunities to refinance their loans, and the Office of Qualified Education Loan Ombudsman, which will create a resource for borrowers and oversight of loan services in Virginia. She has also supported bills that give victims of on-campus sexual violence more resources and give colleges and universities tools to prevent more assaults. In Congress she will fight against Betsy DeVos’ attempts to strip funding from public schools and hand it over to private schools. She will remain a dedicated advocate for improving educational access and resources for low-income students and children with disabilities. Jennifer will also support policies that raise teachers’ pay and benefits, promote STEM courses and careers, and incentivize career and technical training. Environment Jennifer believes we need to be good stewards of the environment and that we must protect our land, air, and water for our children and future generations. Climate change and sea level rise are real threats to Virginia and our nation, and Jennifer knows we must take active steps to address them. In the State Senate, she has been a strong advocate for renewable energy and our environment. Jennifer sponsored legislation that would expand consumers’ access to community solar energy, mandate quicker reporting on hazardous spills in Virginia waterways, and broaden the powers of the Department of Environmental Quality to go after polluters and stop construction of natural gas pipelines when they are adversely affecting our environment. Jennifer has been a staunch defender of the environment during her time in the General Assembly, that is why she has received 100% ratings and numerous awards from major environmental groups, including the “Environmental Freedom” Award from Sierra Club Virginia and the “Legislative Hero” Award from the Virginia League of Conservation Voters. In Congress, she will continue the fight to combat climate change, oppose drilling off Virginia’s coast, adhere to the goals outlined in the Paris Climate Accord, and protect our natural resources, public lands, and waters. Gun Violence Prevention Jennifer is a strong advocate for gun violence prevention and has consistently fought for common sense legislation to keep our communities safe while also respecting the rights of responsible gun owners. In the State Senate, she has championed and voted for bills that would establish universal background checks and close the gun show loophole, ban bumpstocks, mandate the reporting of lost and stolen firearms, and keep firearms out of the hands of domestic abusers and those convicted of stalking. She has fought against legislation that would loosen restrictions on who can obtain concealed carry permits. In Congress, Jennifer will support legislation that expands mandatory background checks on gun purchases, closes loopholes that allow criminals to purchase firearms, establishes a ban on sales of military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, and allows the federal government to study gun violence as a public health issue. Healthcare Jennifer believes that access to affordable healthcare is a right for all Americans. In the State Senate, she has fought alongside her fellow Democrats to expand Medicaid to 300,000 hardworking Virginians and bring over $10 billion back to Virginia’s economy. She has fought for a woman’s right to make her own healthcare decisions and to more easily access reproductive, family planning, and contraception services. She has also been a champion for mental health reform and combating the heroin and opioid crisis in Virginia. Jennifer believes that Congress needs to stop playing politics with Americans’ healthcare and find a bipartisan solution to problems within our current healthcare system. In Congress, Jennifer will fight to protect coverage for those with preexisting conditions, eliminate lifetime caps, fund the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and keep Medicare and Medicaid strong and accessible. She supports allowing the Federal government to negotiate prescription drug prices to help keep healthcare prices under control. Jennifer also believes Congress should devote greater funding resources to expanding access to affordable healthcare, improving our mental health system, expanding innovative medical research, and helping to combat addiction. Heroin and Opioid Crisis The heroin and opioid epidemic has ravaged Virginia and our nation, as the number of deaths caused by drug overdoses now far exceeds deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents and by firearms each year. As a State Senator, Jennifer served on the Governor’s Task Force on Prescription Drug and Heroin Abuse, and she has been working to change how doctors prescribe opioids, as well as to improve access to treatment for addiction and overdoses. She has patroned and passed bills to improve Virginia’s prescription monitoring program, help get the lifesaving overdose reversal drug Narcan into the hands of more people, and allow Child Protective Services to help substance-exposed newborns and their mothers gain access to more resources to get and stay clean. She has also supported and advocated for Drug Courts, Virginia’s Good Samaritan law, and laws that allow police and prosecutors to pursue charges against predatory drug dealers. In Congress, she will continue to work to secure funding for substance use prevention and treatment, to stem the overprescribing of dangerous opioids, and to ensure that all Americans have access to affordable healthcare, including treatment services. Immigration America is a nation of immigrants and my family is among those who came here seeking freedom, safety, and opportunity. Rather than working together to find bipartisan policies that will improve our immigration system, the President and Congressional Republicans are promoting fear-mongering tactics, like raids and roundups, against immigrants. As State Senator, I have consistently voted against and spoken out against Republican attempts to stigmatize immigrants, including their anti-Sharia legislation, the so-called “sanctuary cities” bills, and legislation that would have required Virginia to track and report on the location of refugees who resettle here. Jennifer believes Congress needs to pass comprehensive immigration reform that includes a pathway to citizenship for immigrant families, protects DREAMers and their futures, prioritizes the deportation of violent criminals over status offenders, shuts down inhumane private detention centers, and ensures money that this administration would spend on building a wall instead be spent on securing and modernizing our borders and defending national security. Jobs and the Economy Jennifer believes we need to create an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top. Wages and benefits are not keeping pace with costs. In the State Senate, she voted in favor of several measures that would raise the minimum wage, and has introduced legislation that would ensure women doing the same job as men receive equal pay and employment benefits. She also introduced legislation that would have established Paid Medical Leave in Virginia. Jennifer believes that making investments in our workforce is a key to growing our economy. As our state and our nation evolve from an industrial to a technology-based economy, our workers must be prepared for the jobs of the future, not those of the past. Jennifer supports increased investments in career and vocational training, and retraining for those who have been displaced from the workforce. Too often, wages have not kept pace with costs and the increased use of low-bid or unrealistic contracts has resulted in an American workforce doing more work for less pay. In Congress, Jennifer will support increasing wages and salaries, establishing paid family and medical leave programs nationwide, revitalizing America’s middle-class, protecting and expanding workers’ rights, making affordable housing more accessible to Americans, reining in Wall Street, and supporting America’s small businesses and entrepreneurs. LGBTQ Rights In the General Assembly, Jennifer has worked hard to promote fairness and equal opportunity for all Virginians, including our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. She has repeatedly championed legislation to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, and cosponsored legislation that would prohibit discrimination in public employment. She has also supported bills that would remove the same-sex marriage ban in the Virginia Constitution, expand Virginia’s hate crimes statute to include the LGBTQ community, end conversion therapy, and allow localities and school boards to establish their own non-discrimination policies. She has opposed harmful Republican legislation that would have allowed government officials to refuse to marry same-sex couples, establish a Virginia version of the “bathroom bill,” and numerous other attempts to treat the LGBTQ community as second-class citizens. In Congress, Jennifer will continue to be a strong advocate for LGBTQ community. She will support legislation to expand anti-discrimination statutes, fight against bullying of LGBTQ youth, and other initiatives to make our country more inclusive and equal for everyone. Protecting our Children Keeping Virginia’s children safe has always been a top priority for Jennifer, from her time as a prosecutor and court-appointed legal advocate for children to her role as a State Senator. She passed legislation that made it easier for local law enforcement to prosecute child predators both online and in our communities. She also wrote a new law that requires daycares and assisted living facilities in Virginia to use fingerprint-based background checks on their employees when they are being hired, making daycares safer by ensuring criminals are less likely to slip through the screening process. In Congress, Jennifer will continue to promote policies that keep our children safe, which includes keeping guns out of our schools and and reducing children’s access to firearms. Supporting our Veterans As a member of the State Senate and the Board of Veterans Services, Jennifer has fought for Virginia’s veterans and their families. She has supported measures that increase resources for mental health services for active duty and retired military, expanded veteran entrepreneurship programs, eradicated veteran homelessness in Virginia, made it easier for service members to vote overseas and lowered tuition and fees while expanding veterans’ resources on community college campuses. Jennifer believes we should never send our men and women into war without ensuring the care and resources they and their families need is in place when they return home. In Congress, Jennifer will continue to be an advocate for our active duty military, veterans, and their families. She will support establishing veterans courts across the country, expanding access to healthcare and mental health services, fully funding and reforming the VA, and providing college, training, and workforce development programs so our veterans and their spouses can obtain good paying jobs. Transportation and Infrastructure Jennifer knows traffic and transportation are major concerns across Northern Virginia. She has focused on transportation solutions as a member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission, and has worked to bring resources to her district to relieve congestion, fix problems with Metro, and advocate for smart growth in Loudoun and Fairfax counties. She has introduced legislation that would give localities more control over, and funding for transportation projects in their jurisdictions. Jennifer opposed tolls on I-66 and repeatedly carried legislation to reduce the tolls on the Dulles Greenway. Jennifer knows that America needs to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. She supports a full-scale investment in new green infrastructure that will create millions of good paying jobs. She believes this investment should include updating and expanding our roads, bridges, public transit, airports, and rail lines. She believes Congress should also invest in infrastructure that will help build a clean energy future, expand the availability of high-speed broadband, and fix and modernize our electric grid and water systems. Voting Rights The right to vote is one of the most basic tenets of our democracy, and Jennifer believes that we need to make it easier, not harder, for people to vote. In the State Senate, she sponsored and voted for legislation to end gerrymandering, allow easier access to the polls, expand absentee voting options, and add more options for the acceptable forms of voter identification. She has consistently opposed voter suppression tactics by Republicans and she has consistently spoken out against the Republican myth of extensive voter fraud. In Congress, Jennifer will fight against attempts to suppress access to the ballot box. She will vote to end racial and partisan gerrymandering, expand early voting, make Election Day a federal holiday, and reform our broken campaign finance system that benefits only special interests at the expense of normal citizens. Jennifer also supports sanctioning Russia for its interference in our 2016 elections, and taking active measures to dissuade future attempts to tamper with our electoral process. Women’s Rights Jennifer is a strong advocate for women’s rights. She believes women’s healthcare decisions should be made between a woman and her doctor, and has continuously fought to keep government out of those decisions. In the State Senate, Jennifer has fought against the Republicans’ undue restrictions on abortion, championing legislation that would remove unconstitutional barriers to access like unnecessary waiting periods and TRAP laws targeted at women’s health clinics. Jennifer has created several new laws that have expanded women’s rights in Virginia. She wrote and passed a law that finally gave mothers the right to breastfeed in public in Virginia. She created a landmark law that allows victims of revenge porn and surreptitious photos to sue their perpetrator for damages, and sponsored a bill to ensure women must not only receive equal pay but also equal benefits without being fired for asking about salaries. In Congress, Jennifer will continue to be a true advocate for women. She will support legislation that expands women’s access to quality, affordable healthcare, family planning services, and contraception, establishes paid family and medical leave programs, ends violence against women, promotes women’s involvement in STEM and political fields, and ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment in the U.S. Constitution.[22] |
” |
| —Jennifer Wexton for Congress[25] | ||
Campaign finance
Democrats
Satellite spending
- VoteVets.org spent $175,000 on a media buy backing Helmer at the end of May. The ad's narrator says, "He'll take on the NRA to protect our kids. He'll stand up to the bullies because quality affordable healthcare is our right. He'll push to impeach an outlaw president because no one is above the law."[3]
Campaign tactics and strategies
Campaign advertisements
Alison Friedman
Support
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Dan Helmer
Support
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Jennifer Wexton
Support
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Timeline
- May 30, 2018: Helmer released his first television ad, where he introduced himself as a non-politician, Rhodes scholar, and veteran, as part of a $500,000 ad buy.
- May 24, 2018: Wexton released her first campaign ad, promoting her support for universal background checks and Medicaid expansion.
- May 7, 2018: Friedman released an ad on gun violence in schools. She proposed "expanding background checks, closing gun show loopholes, and banning assault weapons."
- March 15, 2018: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) endorsed Wexton, noting his experience working with her in the state Senate as one reason for his support.[26]
Republican district won by Hillary Clinton
This district was one of 25 Republican-held U.S. House districts that Hillary Clinton (D) won in the 2016 presidential election.[27] Nearly all were expected to be among the House's most competitive elections in 2018.
Click on the table below to see the full list of districts.
Click here to see the 13 Democratic-held U.S. House districts that Donald Trump (R) won.
Race ratings
District analysis
- See also: The Cook Political Report's Partisan Voter Index
- See also: FiveThirtyEight's elasticity scores
The 2017 Cook Partisan Voter Index for this district was D+1, meaning that in the previous two presidential elections, this district's results were 1 percentage point more Democratic than the national average. This made Virginia's 10th Congressional District the 192nd most Democratic nationally.[32]
FiveThirtyEight's September 2018 elasticity score for states and congressional districts measured "how sensitive it is to changes in the national political environment." This district's elasticity score was 1.03. This means that for every 1 point the national political mood moved toward a party, the district was expected to move 1.03 points toward that party.[33]
Pivot Counties
- See also: Pivot Counties by state
Five of 133 Virginia counties—3.8 percent—are Pivot Counties. Pivot Counties are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.
| Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County | Trump margin of victory in 2016 | Obama margin of victory in 2012 | Obama margin of victory in 2008 | ||||
| Buckingham County, Virginia | 11.28% | 2.43% | 0.87% | ||||
| Caroline County, Virginia | 5.02% | 8.24% | 11.97% | ||||
| Essex County, Virginia | 2.14% | 7.30% | 10.35% | ||||
| Nelson County, Virginia | 5.59% | 2.72% | 9.15% | ||||
| Westmoreland County, Virginia | 7.14% | 6.95% | 10.24% | ||||
Note: Although it is highlighted in the map above, the city of Chesapeake is not considered a county and not included in our calculations as such.
In the 2016 presidential election, Virginia was a battleground state. Hillary Clinton (D) won Virginia with 49.7 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 44.4 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Virginia voted Democratic 56.67 percent of the time and Republican 43.33 percent of the time. In the five presidential elections between 2000 and 2016, Virginia voted Democratic three times (2008, 2012, and 2016) and Republican two times (2000 and 2004).
See also
- United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2018
- United States House elections in Virginia (June 12, 2018 Democratic primaries)
- Virginia's 10th Congressional District election (June 12, 2018 Republican primary)
- United States House of Representatives elections, 2018
Footnotes
- ↑ Politico, "2018 Virginia Election Results," June 12, 2018
- ↑ Vox, "Watch a Democratic candidate buy an assault rifle in under 10 minutes — with no background check," May 2, 2018
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 FEC, "2018 House Independent Expenditure," accessed May 31, 2018
- ↑ Vox, "Watch a Democratic candidate buy an assault rifle in under 10 minutes — with no background check," May 2, 2018
- ↑ Roll Call, "Could Past DC Residency Be Liability for Some Democrats?" March 6, 2018
- ↑ Daily Kos, "Presidential Election Results by Congressional District," accessed January 11, 2018
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Alison for Virginia, "Meet Alison," accessed March 12, 2018
- ↑ Teen Vogue, "Alison Friedman Is Running for Congress in Virginia," February 19, 2018
- ↑ Alison for Virginia, "Principles," accessed May 28, 2018
- ↑ Helmer for Congress, "Meet Dan," accessed May 31, 2018
- ↑ Loudoun Now, "Helmer Launches Challenge to Comstock," April 11, 2017
- ↑ Helmer for Congress, "Economy and Jobs," accessed May 31, 2018
- ↑ Jennifer Wexton, "Meet Jennifer," accessed May 28, 2018
- ↑ Richmond Times-Dispatch, "State Sen. Jennifer Wexton announces run for Rep. Barbara Comstock's seat," April 20, 2017
- ↑ Jennifer Wexton, "Issues," accessed May 28, 2018
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Blue Virginia, "VA-10 Democratic Primary Endorsements Piling Up; Donte Tanner Endorses Alison Friedman and Will Serve as Campaign Chair," January 10, 2018
- ↑ WVVA, "Governor endorses Wexton in Democratic congressional primary," March 15, 2018
- ↑ Alison for Virginia, "Supporters," accessed March 16, 2018
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Democrats vying to challenge Comstock debate liberal values in NAACP debate," May 26, 2018
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 InsideNOVA, "Gun reform at center of 10th District Democratic debate," April 11, 2018
- ↑ Reuters, "Virginia governor signs gun law compromise measures," February 16, 2016
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Alison for Virginia, "Principles," accessed May 28, 2018
- ↑ Helmer for Congress, "An Inclusive Society," accessed May 31, 2018
- ↑ Jennifer Wexton for Congress, "Issues," accessed May 28, 2018
- ↑ NBC Washington, "Virginia Governor Endorses Wexton in Democratic Congressional Primary," March 15, 2018
- ↑ This figure includes Pennsylvania districts that were redrawn by the state Supreme Court in early 2018 and districts that flipped in special elections.
- ↑ The new 1st district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 8th District held by Fitzpatrick. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 5th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 7th District held by Meehan. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 6th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 6th District held by Costello. Click here to read more.
- ↑ The new 7th district was created in early 2018 due to court-ordered redistricting and most closely resembles the old 15th District held by Dent. Click here to read more.
- ↑ Cook Political Report, "Introducing the 2017 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index," April 7, 2017
- ↑ FiveThirtyEight, "Election Update: The Most (And Least) Elastic States And Districts," September 6, 2018
