草莓传媒

WASHINGTON 鈥� Primary elections are being held June 12 for all the U.S. House of Representatives seats in Virginia, as well as the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democrat Tim Kaine.

Here鈥檚 a look at the candidates and races in the 草莓传媒 listening area; click the links for more detailed analysis 草莓传媒鈥檚 Max Smith.

For more on how, when and where to vote, check out 草莓传媒鈥檚 Voter Guide to the Virginia primaries.

VA-01

In Virginia鈥檚 First Congressional District, three Democrats 鈥斅� , and 鈥� are competing for the chance to run against Republican incumbent Rob Wittman in November.

Santana is a Marine veteran who works as a logistics analyst; businessman Suddarth is a former Army officer, and Williams is a strategic planner for a government contractor.

All three listed health insurance as a key issue, with Santana and Suddarth specifically mentioning a single-payer system as an ultimate goal.

All three also emphasized the need to invest in infrastructure, particularly regarding rural broadband and transportation. Suddarth, a 59-year-old native of Dumfries, said 鈥�95 has been backed up my entire life.鈥� Williams wants to focus attention on the areas of the Northern Neck and Littleton, particularly on I-295, I-95 and I-64, while Santana wants to expand VRE service farther south.

Suddarth called campaign finance reform one of his key issues, while Williams touted her , which exempts the first $50,000 of income for certain service jobs from federal income tax, and Santana wants to take on the 鈥渃ulture of sexual violence鈥� with programs for age-appropriate sexual education.

The district is a sprawling one, including all or part of 19 counties, with Fredericksburg and the Northern Neck among its features. Wittman has served since 2007.

More on the VA-01 primary race.

VA-07

In Virginia鈥檚 7th聽District, the Democratic primary pits , a former CIA officer, against former Marine . Both list health care and infrastructure as important issues 鈥� particularly digital infrastructure, including broadband and cell service in the largely rural district.

Spanberger told 草莓传媒 that she decided to run for the House the day the chamber voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act; Ward also wants to strengthen the law. Spanberger emphasizes that she鈥檚 鈥渘ot running against Donald Trump鈥� and listed restoring civility as a priority; Ward said, 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 like what I do 鈥� and I鈥檒l make the hard votes 鈥� then don鈥檛 re-elect me. And I鈥檓 OK with that.鈥�

The winner will take on Republican incumbent Dave Brat in November. Brat has been in Congress since 2014, when he pulled off a stunning upset against Eric Cantor, the sitting majority leader. He beat Eileen Bedell by 15 points in 2016.

More on the VA-7 primary race.

VA-10

The 10th聽Congressional District has a crowded field 鈥� six Democrats are running for their party鈥檚 nomination, while incumbent Rep. Barbara Comstock has a Republican challenger in Shak Hill.

The Democrats 鈥� , , , , and state Sen. 鈥� agree broadly on several key issues, especially regarding health care. They also mostly agree on a need for what several of them call 鈥渃ommon-sense鈥� gun control measures, such as universal background checks and closing what鈥檚 called the 鈥済un-show loophole.鈥� There鈥檚 also a consensus for some combination of new roads and more mass transit, albeit with different favorite projects.

Biggins, an infectious disease scientist, pointed to her background of 鈥渕aking sure I have all the information I need before proceeding,鈥� while Pelletier鈥檚 experience as a prosecutor, he said, amounts to 鈥渁 30-year history of taking guns off the street鈥� and 鈥渟tanding up to power, and corrupt power in particular.鈥�

Stover, a former official in the Obama administration, said, 鈥淚 know what it鈥檚 like to work three minimum-wage jobs鈥� and still carries $80,000 in student loan debt. Wexton, the only elected official in the race, said, 鈥淚鈥檝e run and won two competitive elections in the district. I鈥檝e showed that I can work across the aisle when I get there.鈥�

Friedman, a former State Department official, pointed to her fundraising advantage. 鈥淲e know [Comstock] is going to be well-funded. That is going to matter,鈥� while Helmer, a business strategist and Army veteran, said Comstock 鈥渉as won against every politician she鈥檚 faced. She鈥檚 never run against someone with a record of military service.鈥�

On the GOP side, Comstock is confident in her experience in Congress and prior time in the General Assembly. She said she has worked closely with businesses in the district, and understands the area as a longtime resident.

“I鈥檓 the only candidate in this race who has cut taxes,” Comstock said, adding, “I have delivered for this district.”

Hill is running against Comstock because, he said, she鈥檚 鈥渧iolated all the fiscal conservative promises she [made] us鈥� with her votes for government-funding bills. The last straw that convinced him to run, he said, was her vote for a bill allowing for transgender surgeries in the military.

He described Comstock as a 鈥渞abid Never Trumper鈥� and member of 鈥渢he swamp鈥� looking to 鈥渂uy today鈥檚 votes with our grandchildren鈥檚 money.鈥� He added that voters 鈥渨ant someone to help President Trump move the America First agenda.鈥�

Asked about local issues such as transportation, he said, 鈥淭he role of the federal government is not to solve individual problems. At all.鈥�

Comstock said of Hill, 鈥淗e has not won any elections.”

More on the VA-10 primary race (Democratic race and Republican race).

U.S. Senate

Three Republicans are running to challenge U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat, in November 鈥� Del. ; and , the at-large chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.

The three agree largely on the issues of the size of the federal government and their support of President Donald Trump.

Stewart claimed he鈥檒l be the president鈥檚 鈥渂iggest supporter鈥� in the Senate and pointed out how close most Senate votes have been in the current Congress. He added that he鈥檚 鈥渨on five elections in blue Northern Virginia.鈥�

Freitas said he鈥檚 the only candidate in the race serving in a legislature; Jackson, while saying, 鈥淚鈥檓 not an African-American; I鈥檓 an American,鈥� also said his ability to turn out the black vote makes him the only candidate who can beat Kaine.

Stewart said he wants to focus federal resources on solutions for traffic on I-66 and I-95 鈥渨ithout tolls,鈥� while Freitas has ideas that don鈥檛 involve road construction, such as allowing federal employees to work remotely and spreading out federal agencies to different parts of the state.

Regarding guns and school safety, Stewart pointed to the fact that Prince William was the first county in Virginia to hire retired police officers in all 95 county schools, while Freitas said the key was to 鈥渁ddress the behavior鈥� behind school shootings and 鈥渇ocus on the things that all sides agree on.鈥�

Jackson said that 鈥渙ur country is in a time of crisis鈥� and that it鈥檚 important to 鈥済ive people with traditional values a sense of hope and inspiration and encouragement.鈥�

More on the Virginia Senate primary race.

草莓传媒’s Max Smith contributed to this report.