Race to Replace Rep. Wexton in Northern Virginia Heats Up!

With the announcement of Rep. Jennifer Wexton’s departure from the House of Representatives to the Senate comes a new race for the coveted seat in Northern Virginia. A total of nine candidates have officially filed for the special election in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, signaling an intense battle for the seat previously held by Wexton. Although the district leans heavily towards the Democratic party, several credible Republican contenders have stepped into the fray, adding further interest in the election. All nine officially nominated candidates have announced their desire to replace Wexton. With members of both major political parties in the running, Northern Virginia residents have a bevy of options when it comes to who will best represent their interests in Congress. The Democratic frontrunners are Del. Jennifer Boysko and former Obama Administration Defense Department official Alison Friedman. Boysko has been in the Virginia House of Delegates since 2014 and is widely seen as the favorite to take Wexton’s seat. Friedman recently ran for Congress in 2018 and is bringing her experience in international relations to the campaign trail in 2020. Along with Boysko and Friedman, the Democratic competitors include: former Obama Administration State Department official Daniel Helmer, businesswoman Dayna Green, former Obama Administration national security official Julien Modica, former Obama Administration congressional staffer Reem Subei, Leesburg activist Ibraheem Samirah, and Virginia state community college faculty member Paul Pelletier. The Republican candidates are real estate consultant Jeff Dove, technology consultant Roger Dean Huffstetler, and former Navy Officer and restaurateur Leigh Jean Arthur. This race is sure to come down to the wire, and all of the candidates have staked out their territory in the Northern Virginia electorate. Only time will tell which contender will take Wexton’s seat in the House of Representatives and join her in Washington D.C.