The Republican Party of Virginia held a forum in Fredericksburg for candidates seeking the party’s nomination to run for the seat of the 7th Congressional district. Held at the Dorothy Hart Community Center in Downtown Fredericksburg, residents heard from the candidates who were asked questions that ranged from issues such as inflation, the economy, and security at the southern border.
They also talked about foreign policy, which included the U.S. rushed departure from Afghanistan after 20 years, and the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
The 7th Congressional District includes Prince William, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties, and Fredericksburg. Abigail Spanberger (D) has represented the District since 2018 and is running to keep her seat in the November 8
The candidates seeking the nomination included Derrick Anderson, a lawyer and former Green Beret from Spotsylvania County; Gina Ciarcia, an educator from Prince William County; David Ross, a retired U.S. Marine and current member of the Spotsylvania County Board of Supervisors representing the Courtland District, Crystal Vanuch, a local Stafford County business owner and the current chair of the Stafford County Board of Supervisors, and Yesli Vega, a reserve law enforcement officer and current member of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors representing the Coles District.
Virginia State Senator Bryce Reeves (R-Orange, Gordonsville), who’s also seeking the nomination, was attending the National Conference of State Legislators in Seattle. Reeves serves as the co-chairman of the conference’s Military and Veterans Task Force.
Each candidate was given two minutes for opening remarks, then was asked questions on several issues, and finally made closing remarks at the end of the forum. The format didn’t allow for debate between the candidates unless they felt they were singled out on an issue by another candidate.
None of the candidates debated. RPV Chairman Rich Anderson moderated the forum.
Patricia Lyman, the National Committeewoman representing Virginia on the Republican National Committee, was at the forum. Lyman spoke to PLN regarding the event and the aspirant candidates.
“This was the first RPV sponsored forum that we’ve had; what was so obvious was the embarrassment of riches that we have. We have a half-dozen very, very qualified congressional candidates, and all of them understand that the number one qualification to win this nomination is to be the person that can defeat Abigail Spanberger,” said Lyman. “Every single person on that stage is committed to stopping Spanberger from so severely harming the citizens of the seventh district as she has for the past four years. So I know we have, currently running in the primary, the right person to beat her.”
The Republican Party primary is scheduled to be held on June 21, all candidates running for the party’s nomination will be on the ballot.
During the forum, the RPV took a straw poll of the audience to see which candidate they favored. Vega took the top spot with 56% of the vote, followed by Reeves with 18%, and Ciarcia with 10%.
Straw poll results from our #VA07 Candidate’s Forum last night! pic.twitter.com/zLmBlfEPJo
— Virginia GOP (@VA_GOP) May 19, 2022
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