Virginia's 2nd Congressional District elections, 2014

U.S. House, Virginia District 2 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Scott Rigell Incumbent	58.7%	101,558
	Democratic	Suzanne Patrick	41.1%	71,178
	N/A	Write-in	0.2%	324
Total Votes				173,060
Source: Virginia Department of Elections

2016 → ← 2012

Virginia's 2nd Congressional District

General Election Date November 4, 2014

Primary Date No primary

November 4 Election Winner: Scott Rigell

Incumbent prior to election: Scott Rigell

Race Ratings Cook Political Report: Solid Republican Sabato's Crystal Ball: Likely R

Virginia U.S. House Elections District 1 • District 2 • District 3 • District 4 • District 5 • District 6 • District 7 • District 8 • District 9 • District 10 • District 11

2014 U.S. Senate Elections

2014 U.S. House Elections

Incumbent Scott Rigell (R) defeated retired U.S. Naval Reserve Commander Suzanne Patrick (D) in the November 2014 general election by more than 17 percentage points in what was "widely considered among the most competitive congressional districts in Virginia."

During a victory party Rigell said, "We ran with one goal in mind - to win and win decisively. We ran as if the future of the country depended on it, because indeed we believe it does."

Ballotpedia identified Virginia's 2nd Congressional District as a battleground race because Cook's PVI showed the district as R+2, and Fairvote rated the district as 43.4 percent Democratic. In addition, President Barack Obama won the district by 1.5 percentage points in 2012 and 1.7 percentage points in 2008.

The Republican and Democratic parties provided Rigell and Patrick with additional support during the election. Rigell was a member of the National Republican Congressional Committee's "Patriot Program", which was designed to assist vulnerable Republican incumbents heading into the 2014 election. Patrick was a member of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's "Jumpstart Program", which was designed to provide early support to top-tier Democratic challengers.

Despite being considered a "competitive" district, Virginia's "(un)democratic way of redrawing legislative districts" may have contributed to Rigell's victory, according to the Pilot Online. Rigell addressed gerrymandering during a 2014 debate. According to the Daily Press, "Rigell says fixing gerrymandering — the rigging of districts to ensure they vote for one party — is one of his priorities, and he's working with a liberal Democrat from California, Alan Lowenthal, to find a way to end the practice. That, he says, is an example of the kind of bipartisanship Washington needs."

The race was rated a "Safe Republican" contest by Rothenberg Political Report/Roll Call.

Candidate Filing Deadline	Primary Election	General Election
March 27, 2014	No primary	November 4, 2014

Primary: A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. Virginia utilizes an open primary process in which registered voters do not have to be members of a party to vote in that party's primary.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

Voter registration: Voters had to register to vote in the primary by February 10, 2014. For the general election, the voter registration deadline was October 14, 2014 (22 days before election).

See also: Virginia elections, 2014

Incumbent: Heading into the election was incumbent Scott Rigell (R), who was first elected in 2010.

Virginia's 2nd Congressional District is located in the eastern portion of the state and includes Accomack and Northampton counties along with Virginia Beach city and portions of Hampton, Newport News, and Norfolk cities.

Candidates

General election candidates

• Scott Rigell - Incumbenta
• Suzanne Patrick

Failed to file

• Allen Knapp

Election results

U.S. House, Virginia District 2 General Election, 2014

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Scott Rigell Incumbent	58.7%	101,558
	Democratic	Suzanne Patrick	41.1%	71,178
	N/A	Write-in	0.2%	324
Total Votes				173,060
Source: Virginia Department of Elections

Issues

See also: Energy and the 2014 election: the ballots and beyond

Debate

On October 18, 2014, Rigell and Patrick meet in their first and only debate. Patrick accused Rigell of hurting the economy with his vote for the government shutdown, of not supporting veterans and voting for policies that hurt women.

According to the Virginian-Pilot, "Like most in Congress, Rigell, a two-term incumbent, has said the budget bill was needed to avoid a government default. He has railed against sequestration, saying it never should have been allowed to begin and has pressed for changes to stop it."

Rigell, a former Marine, also defended his record on veterans and the military. He said, "For my opponent to impugn my record on this matter - for her to say that I do not support our veterans - is patently false, and I reject it. We voted to strengthen the VA - to actually increase its funding every year."

In addition, Rigell, who voted for the Violence Against Women Act, said, "It's patently false that I do not support women. It's not partially false. It's totally false."

Campaign themes

Scott Rigell

Rigell highlighted thirteen issues on his website. Here are some of them:

“	Creating Jobs: As a lifelong businessman I know the great joy that comes with being able to look someone in the eye and say, “You’re hired!” But today our American small businesses are suffering at the hands of an overreaching, paternalistic government. As a result, America’s unemployment rate has hovered at 8% for more than three full years. So many more Americans are underemployed or have given up looking for work, but if these past three years have taught us anything, it is this: that the government cannot create sustainable jobs or spend our way out of unemployment. The only true path to job creation is to get the government out of the way, create an economic environment that provides certainty to businesses and unleash the greatest job-creating engine the world has ever known: the American entrepreneur! To get the economy back into action, we must first repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which places a heavy burden on our small businesses, and replace it with common-sense, market-based health care solutions that preserve the patient-doctor relationship. Second, we must make our tax code flatter and fairer, so that the government isn’t picking winners and losers through lobbyist-written loopholes and deductions. Third, we must roll back the excessive regulations the federal government has placed on businesses. Finally, we must find new opportunities to grow our national economy, and energy is our number one way to do this. Simply opening up Virginia’s coastal energy for environmentally-responsible energy harvesting would create 18,000 jobs, move us toward energy independence and bring in tax revenue for our schools and roads! Energy development in Virginia has broad bipartisan support. Our Military: We have a deep obligation to pass on to future generations of Americans the blessings of liberty and freedom. That is why a strong military force and a sound national security strategy are so critical – perhaps now more than ever before. Unfortunately, our military and national security are at risk because of massive looming defense cuts that will affect each and every American unless Congress and the President can agree on a plan to stop them. At the same time, American military leaders have said that our national debt is the number one threat to our national security. We must find the common ground to address our unacceptable – and unaccountable – levels of national spending while maintaining the strongest fighting force on the planet. As a member of the House Armed Services Committee, I have successfully fought to keep all East Coast Carriers based in Norfolk and secured emergency funding to improve the electrical grid at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story. I also have the great privilege of representing a district that is home to more men and women in uniform than any other district in the country. As the son of an Iwo Jima Marine, and having served in the Marine Corps Reserve myself, I know first-hand the sacrifice and struggle that our military families go through. Education: The future of America depends on preparing today’s students for success tomorrow. Unfortunately, education in America too often puts the concerns of bureaucrats above the needs of our children. That is wrong. Education should and must be about making sure that our schools equip America’s students with the knowledge and life skills necessary to be well-informed and take on the challenges of adulthood. While government is tightening its belt, I believe that education funding must remain a top priority. I have supported keeping K-12 funding levels consistent while adjusting for inflation. And while the federal government plays an important role in funding America’s public schools, I believe that primary education policy must continue to be managed at the local and state level. Finally, successful and effective public education depends on a healthy economy that produces the necessary tax revenue to fund a world-class system. That is why it is so critical for us to improve our economy through smarter, lighter regulations, a fairer and flatter tax code and a sound energy policy that opens up the job-creating power of the energy industry in America. Senior Issues: For too long, the issues facing our nation’s seniors have been used as a pawn in political debates while vitally important programs head toward bankruptcy. Even today, efforts to strengthen Medicare for future generations are being unfairly mischaracterized for political gain. The truth is undeniable: according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund - the fund that pays the Medicare bills - is projected to be exhausted in 2022. I am committed to pursuing and supporting legislation that strengthens and preserves Medicare for current and future generations. I recently introduced a House Resolution that would prevent any changes to Medicare for those 55 and older, and also seeks to reduce the waste, fraud and abuse that is so troubling. This includes legislation ensuring that no changes in Medicare will occur for anyone 55 and older. Unfortunately the recent changes that have been made to Medicare have been damaging. In 2010, Congress passed and the President signed a government-run health care law that cut more than $500 billion from Medicare. This law also put in place an unaccountable, unelected board of fifteen bureaucrats known as the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), and gave it the power to make coverage decisions on health care which cannot be appealed. We must strongly oppose these cuts in Medicare while implementing market-based reforms that provide more choices for America’s future seniors. The federal government also has an obligation to make good on its promise and pay out Social Security benefits that many depend on and expected when calculating the cost of their retirement. That is why I do not support changing Social Security for today’s seniors or anyone that is on the verge of retirement. Instead, we should enact incremental changes to the program for young Americans to ensure that Social Security remains viable for future generations, while giving young workers enough time to adequately prepare for their own retirements. It will take true leadership in Congress and the White House to save Medicare and face the reality of the situation: if we do nothing, which has been the status quo for years, Medicare and Social Security won’t be there for future Americans. I am committed to doing all that can be done to ensure strong and healthy Medicare and Social Security programs for America’s seniors.	”
—Scott Rigell, http://web.archive.org/web/20140916183502/http://www.scottrigell.com/index.php/where-i-stand

Suzanne Patrick

Patrick’s website highlighted the following priorities:

“	JOBS & THE ECONOMY: From her experience advising international corporations navigating the global marketplace, to starting and successfully running her own small business, Suzanne has the knowledge and skills necessary to spur local economic development and job creation here in Virginia. She’ll support fair trade and use her knowledge of global markets to expand opportunities for our local port. Suzanne believes investments in infrastructure are essential—not only to create jobs now, but also to lay the groundwork for future economic growth. And, she is fiercely committed to maintaining funds for the military facilities that are the backbone of the local economy. MILITARY PREPAREDNESS: Thanks to a lot of political gamesmanship and partisan bickering in Congress, our nation’s and economy and armed services are now feeling the harmful effects of the sequester. Not only are seniors, children, and middle class families taking a hit, the sequester also damages our nation’s military preparedness. Suzanne will work to break the gridlock, end the senseless sequester, and restore the funding our military needs to return to full strength. EDUCATION: For years, Suzanne has actively mentored young women pursuing careers in science, engineering, and the military. Through this work, she sees the ways our current education system is failing the next generation. Too few students graduate with the skills needed to compete in today’s global economy, while too many graduate under the burden of massive debt from student loans. Suzanne believes every American student deserves the opportunity to access a quality, affordable education, and that investments in education are the best investment we can make in our nation’s future economic success. OUR SENIORS: Suzanne firmly opposes any effort to privatize Social Security or turn Medicare into a voucher program. As the primary caretaker for her aging parents, Suzanne understands how important these earned benefits are to seniors on a fixed income. Instead of gutting these programs or subjecting them to the volatility of Wall Street, Suzanne believes in protecting the long-term viability of Social Security and Medicare through strategic investments and common sense reforms so that all seniors can enjoy security, dignity, and access to quality, affordable health care in retirement. POSITION: ISRAEL We have an important and historic relationship with Israel, and one that must be strengthened and maintained through this period of heightened instability and conflict in the Middle East. From the moment Israel became a nation in 1948, the United States has been a strong ally. We were the first nation to recognize Israel, and we have played an important role in continuing to help Israel persevere in a dangerous and challenging region. Israel is the strongest democracy in the Middle East, and Israelis share our values and commitments to democracy and regional security. In this time of change and volatility in the Middle East, we need strong allies like Israel to champion and uphold these values in the region. In Congress, I will fight to strengthen our relationship with Israel diplomatically, military, culturally, and economically so that we work together to build a bright future for both nations.	”
—Suzanne Patrick, http://web.archive.org/web/20140916180528/http://suzannepatrickforcongress.com/priorities/

Veterans

Veterans' votes likely played a key role in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District race. The district is home to Naval Air Station Oceana and borders the 3rd District, which is home to Naval Station Norfolk, the world’s largest naval station.
Patrick, a U.S. Naval Reserve veteran, accused Rigell, a former Marine, of hurting the military and veterans, especially with his vote in support of the Budget Control Act of 2011. She said, "As the congressman from the second district, the largest military district in the United States, he has time and again over his entire career as a congressman undermined the military with his votes."

Rigell defended his vote on the Budget Control Act that lead to sequestration. He said, "We would've defaulted at a nation, the damage to our country, according to Secretary Geitner, who was secretary at the time, would've been really irreparable."

Key votes

Below are important votes that Rigell cast during the 113th Congress.

National security

NDAA

Rigell voted in support of HR 1960 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014. The bill passed the House on June 14, 2013, with a vote of 315 - 108. Both parties were somewhat divided on the vote.

DHS Appropriations

Rigell voted in support of HR 2217 - the DHS Appropriations Act of 2014. The bill passed the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 245 - 182 and was largely along party lines.

Keystone Pipeline Amendment

Rigell voted in opposition of House Amendment 69, which would have amended HR 3 to "require that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, conduct a study of the vulnerabilities of the Keystone XL pipeline to a terrorist attack and certify that necessary protections have been put in place." The amendment failed on May 22, 2013, with a vote of 176 - 239 and was largely along party lines.

CISPA (2013)

Rigell voted in opposition of HR 624 - the CISPA (2013). The bill passed the House on April 18, 2013, with a vote of 288 - 127. The bill permitted federal intelligence agencies to share cybersecurity intelligence and information with private entities and utilities. The bill was largely supported by Republicans but divided the Democratic Party.

Economy

Farm bill

On January 29, 2014, the U.S. House approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill. The bill passed by a vote of 251-166. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that would kick in when prices drop. It also cut the food stamp program an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states. Rigell voted with 161 other Republican representatives in favor of the bill.

2014 Budget

On January 15, 2014, the Republican-run House approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014. The House voted 359-67 for the 1,582-page bill, with 64 Republicans and three Democrats voting against the bill. The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations. It increased the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel by 1 percent, increased Head Start funding for early childhood education by $1 billion, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency, and protected the Affordable Care Act from any drastic cuts. Rigell voted with the majority of the Republican Party in favor of the bill.

Government shutdown

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

On September 30, 2013, the House passed a final stopgap spending bill before the shutdown went into effect. The bill included a one-year delay of the Affordable Care Act's individual mandate and would have also stripped the bill of federal subsidies for congressional members and staff. It passed through the House with a vote of 228-201. At 1 a.m. on October 1, 2013, one hour after the shutdown officially began, the House voted to move forward with going to a conference. In short order, Sen. Harry Reid rejected the call to conference. Rigell voted to approve the stopgap spending bill that would have delayed the individual mandate.

The shutdown ended on October 16, 2013, when the House took a vote on HR 2775 after it was approved by the Senate. The bill to reopen the government lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies. The House passed the legislation shortly after the Senate, by a vote of 285-144, with all 144 votes against the legislation coming from Republican members. Rigell voted for HR 2775.

Rigell released a statement on October 1, 2013, calling for an end to the shutdown. He said, "In rejecting outright all four offers, and without offering a single counter offer, the Senate demonstrated an absolute unwillingness to negotiate. The result? Gridlock and a government shutdown. The shutdown is hurting my district – including the military and the hard working men and women who have been furloughed due to the defense sequester. Republicans fought the good fight. The fight continues but is not advanced by a government shutdown that damages our economy and harms our military. The time has come to pass a clean CR to reopen the government.”

Rigell planned to donate his salary for the duration of the shutdown to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Farm Bill

See also: United States Farm Bill 2013

Rigell supported the Farm Bill on July 11, 2013. The bill passed in a 216-208 vote. The bill passed included farm policy, but did not include food stamps.

Immigration

Morton Memos Prohibition

Rigell supported House Amendment 136 - Prohibits the Enforcement of the Immigration Executive Order. The amendment was adopted by the House on June 6, 2013, with a vote of 224 - 201. The purpose of the amendment as stated on the official text is to "prohibit the use of funds to finalize, implement, administer, or enforce the Morton Memos." These memos would have granted administrative amnesty to certain individuals residing in the United States without legal status. The vote largely followed party lines.

Healthcare

Repealing Obamacare

Rigell has voted in support of all attempts to repeal or delay the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Social issues

Abortion

Rigell supported HR 1797 - Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act. The resolution passed the House on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 228 - 196. The purpose of the bill was to ban abortions that would take place 20 or more weeks after fertilization.

Government affairs

HR 676

See also: Boehner's lawsuit against the Obama administration

On July 30, 2014, the U.S. House approved a resolution 225 to 201 to sue President Barack Obama for exceeding his constitutional authority. Five Republicans—Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Paul Broun of Georgia, Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Walter Jones of North Carolina and Steve Stockman of Texas—voted with Democrats against the lawsuit. Rigell joined the other 224 Republicans in favor of the lawsuit. All Democrats voted against the resolution.

Endorsements

Suzanne Patrick

• Patrick was endorsed by EMILY's List, a group focused on electing Democratic women who support legalized abortion.

Media

Suzanne Patrick

Suzanne Patrick for Congress, "100 Years of Service."

Suzanne Patrick for Congress, "Earned Promises."

Suzanne Patrick for Congress, "Pay."

Scott Rigell

EmbedVideo is missing a required parameter. Scott Rigell for Congress 2014: "The Round Table."

Campaign contributions

Scott Rigell

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Rigell's reports.

Scott Rigell (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
April Quarterly	April 15, 2013	$4,192.20	$263,101.97	$(45,871.54)	$221,422.63
July Quarterly	June 30, 2013	$221,422.63	$132,376.06	$(73,469.99)	$280,328.70
October Quarterly	October 15, 2013	$280,328.70	$321,126.49	$(64,584.90)	$536,870.29
Year-end	January 31, 2014	$536,870	$119,183	$(47,264)	$608,789
April Quarterly	April 15, 2014	$608,789.09	$158,690.00	$(102,169.03)	$665,310.06
July Quarterly	July 15, 2014	$665,310.06	$159,466.47	$(96,250.05)	$759,479.92
October Quarterly	October 15, 2014	$759,479.92	$387,669.34	$(325,302.73)	$821,846.53
			Running totals
			$1,541,613.33	$(754,912.24)

Suzanne Patrick

Candidates for Congress were required to file up to seven main reports with the Federal Election Commission during the 2014 elections season. Below are Patrick's reports.

Suzanne Patrick (2014) Campaign Finance Reports
Report	Date Filed	Beginning Balance	Total Contributions for Reporting Period	Expenditures	Cash on Hand
October Quarterly	October 15, 2013	$0.00	$62,235.77	$(6,843.17)	$55,392.60
Year-End	January 31, 2014	$55,392.60	$62,221.61	$(37,999.09)	$79,615.12
April Quarterly	April 15, 2014	$79,615.12	$177,140.78	$(60,924.00)	$195,831.90
July Quarterly	July 15, 2014	$195,831.90	$114,936.81	$(42,258.73)	$268,200.00
October Quarterly	October 15, 2014	$268,200.00	$242,519.22	$(414,030.23)	$96,688.99
			Running totals
			$659,054.19	$(562,055.22)

District history

Candidate ballot access
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2012

The 2nd Congressional District of Virginia held an election for the U.S. House of Representatives on November 6, 2012. Incumbent Scott Rigell won re-election in the district.

U.S. House, Virginia District 2 General Election, 2012

Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Democratic	Paul Hirschbiel	46.1%	142,548
	Republican	Scott Rigell Incumbent	53.8%	166,231
	Write-In	N/A	0.1%	443
Total Votes				309,222
Source: Virginia State Board of Elections, "Official Election Results, 2012 General Election"

2010

On November 2, 2010, Scott Rigell won election to the United States House. He defeated Glenn C. Nye (D) and Kenny E. Golden (I) in the general election.

U.S. House, Virginia District 2 General Election, 2010
Party		Candidate	Vote %	Votes
	Republican	Scott Rigell	53.1%	88,340
	Democratic	Glenn C. Nye incumbent	42.5%	70,591
	Independent	Kenny E. Golden	4.3%	7,194
	N/A	Write-in	0.1%	164
Total Votes				166,289

See also

• United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2014
• United States House of Representatives elections, 2014
• Virginia elections, 2014
• Battleground Friday: Virginia's 2nd Congressional District
• Called to Serve: 11 female veterans seeking election to Congress

External links

• Virginia State Board of Elections

Footnotes

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Virginia's current delegation to the United States Congress

Senators

Tim Kaine (D)

Mark Warner (D)

Representatives

District 1

Rob Wittman (R)

District 2

Jennifer Kiggans (R)

District 3

Bobby Scott (D)

District 4

Jennifer McClellan (D)

District 5

John McGuire (R)

District 6

Benjamin Lee Cline (R)

District 7

Eugene Vindman (D)

District 8

Donald Sternoff Beyer (D)

District 9

H. Morgan Griffith (R)

District 10

Suhas Subramanyam (D)

District 11

James Walkinshaw (D)

Democratic Party (8)

Republican Party (5)