FREDERICKSBURG, Va. — Democrat Eugene Vindman has won his Virginia House race, keeping the suburban Northern Virginia seat blue after Rep. Abigail Spanberger’s retirement.
Vindman leads Republican Derrick Anderson, 51.1% to 48.9%, with 98% of votes counted, the Associated Press reports.
The race in Virginia’s 7th District was considered one of Republicans’ best chances to flip a House seat red this cycle, putting them one seat closer to protecting — or possibly expanding — the GOP House majority.
Anderson ran a tight rice against Vindman, who gained national attention in 2019 as a whistleblower in the first impeachment attempt against President-elect Donald Trump, which was sparked by the Ukrainian-born candidate’s reporting of a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Despite his national name recognition, Vindman ran an under-the-radar campaign, participating in just one debate against Anderson.
When he finally sat down for his first interview of the campaign cycle, he gave the local TV outlet just seven minutes. He spent the interview reciting talking points and dodging questions about his military record amid allegations he’s embellished it.
Anderson pointed to Vindman’s working relationship with his identical-twin brother Alexander, who famously testified in Trump’s first impeachment inquiry, as a potential conflict of interest.
Eugene Vindman refused to answer The Post’s questions about his business dealings in Ukraine, which started after he took more than a dozen taxpayer-funded trips to the war-torn nation.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson rallied in this and another close Virginia House district election eve, telling the Post the “road to keeping and growing our majority runs directly through Virginia.”
Johnson appeared at events to drum up support for Anderson and vulnerable freshman Rep. Jen Kiggans, who kept her seat in the Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District.
“Green Beret Derrick Anderson has served our country and will be a strong voice for Virginia’s 7th District to secure our border, fix our economy, and restore peace through strength,” Johnson told The Post.