A freshman Democrat who has largely opposed the Obama agenda faces a tough re-election battle in a southeastern Virginia district with a strong military presence.
Virginia's 2nd congressional district takes in all of Virginia Beach and parts of Norfolk and Hamption in the southeast corner of the state. It also includes Accomack and Northampton Counties on Virginia's Eastern Shore. The district has a very strong military feel to it. Norfolk is home to the U.S. Navy Atlantic fleet. Virginia Beach is home to four military installations with over 35,000 military and civilian employees. Military veterans comprise over 19% of the district's population.
The 2nd is focused on Virginia Beach and most of the district's population live there. The strong military presence and southern brand of cultural conservatism make this, on the whole, a Republican district. George W. Bush easily carried the 2nd 58%-42% in 2004. However, like Virginia as a whole, the 2nd took a sharp turn toward the Democrats in 2008. Barack Obama narrowly carried the district, which has a sizable African-American population, 51%-49%.
A beneficiary of the strong Obama efforts in Virginia was freshman Democratic Representative Glenn Nye. Nye, a former State Department official, waged an aggressive campaign against Republican Rep. Thelma Drake and, riding the Democratic wave, defeated the incumbent 52%-47%.
In the House, Nye earned a coveted seat on the House Armed Services Committee. In keeping with the conservative feel of his district, Nye opposed many of the signature pieces of Obama's agenda including health care reform, cap and trade, and the federal budget. According to a non-partisan analysis of Nye's voting record, he bucked his party more often than all but 8 Democrat House members.
Nye's political independence has not insulated him from a tough GOP challenge in November. The six-way June Republican primary was won by Scott Rigell, a car dealership owner who had never run for political office. Rigell is running as a Washington outsider and has vowed to be available to his constituents at all times. To this end, Rigell has even posted his home phone number on his campaign website.
Both candidates have raised significant sums of money, but Nye will have a cash on hand advantage heading into the general election as Rigell spent freely to win the GOP primary. Rigell will be able to dig into his own pockets and both national parties are planning to spend in the 2nd.
Nye's independence from national Democrats will certainly be an asset in a challenging political environment. This race is sure to be one of the closest in the country and the outcome will go a long way to determining which party holds the House majority come next January.
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