In Virginia’s swing district just outside the DC beltway, Republicans see an opportunity to reclaim a coveted seat in the House of Representatives. The Cook Political Report recently shifted the race for the Virginia 7th District from “Tilt Democratic” to “Toss Up” in its House Ratings on Thursday. In this upcoming election, Republican Army veteran Derrick Anderson will face off against Democrat Eugene Vindman for the open seat left vacant by Democrat Abigail Spanberger, who is seeking the governor’s office next year.
In a press conference this week, Anderson committed to participating in six debates leading up to Election Day and called on his opponent to do the same. One of the debate venues, a local ABC affiliate, reaches more than three quarters of the district; however, Vindman’s campaign has not agreed to participate despite being granted an extension.
Yevgeny Vindman is hiding from voters,” Anderson said in a statement. The fact that he would decline to stand up on TV and debate should tell voters all they need to know about how he’d govern if he were elected.” He continued, “Does anyone think we need another DC politician who lies about their resume and who won’t even show up to debates? I certainly don’t.
In 2019, Vindman gained national attention as a whistleblower in the first impeachment attempt against former President Trump. This stemmed from the Ukrainian-born candidate’s reporting of a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Vindman’s campaign is currently facing an FEC complaint over alleged illegal coordination between his campaign and VoteVets, a PAC run by his twin brother. The complaint followed media scrutiny over the candidate’s military record, which led the campaign to refer journalists’ questions to his brother’s advocacy group.
The Vindman Campaign did not respond to The Post’s inquiry about his debate commitments. Delanie Bomar, spokeswoman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, told The Post that “Eugene Vindman has faced scandal after scandal, completely disqualifying him to be a representative for Virginia’s 7th congressional district.” On the other hand, she said Derrick Anderson “has always run toward a fight, making him the ideal candidate to represent his hometown in Congress.
With the shift in the House Ratings, it seems that Republicans’ chances of reclaiming this seat have just improved. The upcoming debates will likely play an important role in determining the outcome of this highly-contested race.
