Vega’s GOP win a ‘historic moment for Hispanics;’ How she did it

Yesli Vega is the winner of a Republican Primary Election in Virginia’s 7th District, defeating five other candidates to be the party’s nominee to face incumbent Democrat Abigail Spanberger in the November General Election.

“I am honored the voters of Virginia’s 7th Congressional District have chosen me to be the Republican nominee in the general election this fall. As the first conservative Hispanic to win a republican congressional primary in Virginia, this is a historic moment for Hispanics across Virginia and our nation. I want to thank my family, friends, volunteers, and all the voters who believe in our message of liberty, safety, and economic prosperity,” said Vega in a statement to the press.

Vega built a campaign on railing against unchecked immigration at the U.S. southern border, rising inflation costs, and supporting law enforcement. Vega is a sitting member of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and a cop.

“We have accomplished our first milestone, now it is time to bring everyone, Republican and Democrat, together because inflation doesn’t discriminate. There’s no Democrat discount at the gas pump or grocery store and everyone is a victim of lawlessness,” Vega added.

Spanberger, a former CIA agent, has held the seat since 2018. Last year, Virginia’s State Supreme Court redrew the 7th District and shifted its borders from the western suburbs of Richmond north to include eastern Prince William County, and the counties of Culpeper, Stafford, Spotsylvania, and King George, Orange, and the city of Fredericksburg.

“As the Representative for Virginia’s Seventh District, I have been proud to respond to the issues facing Virginians by working across the aisle, being accountable to the people I serve, and getting things done,” Spanberger said in a statement sent to press. “Together, we passed a bipartisan infrastructure law that is already delivering long-overdue support to Virginia’s roads, bridges, and additional infrastructure projects. But we still have a lot of work ahead.”

Neither Vega nor Spanberger live in the 7th District but are not required to do so under federal law. Spanberger continues to live in her home in the western Richmond suburbs. Vega lives about five miles from the District’s northern border, Hoadly Road in Prince William County, and represents voters in five precincts in the 7th District as a county supervisor.

Vega came on strong in the final weeks of the campaign with stump appearances by Texas Senator Ted Cruz who for Vega appeared in Fredericksburg and Woodbridge, and Cassie Garcia, one of our Texas conservatives hoping to flip key districts along the U.S. southern border controlled by Democrats.

Many thought the race would come down to Vega and State Senator Bryce Reeves, who represented Spotsylvania County in the General Assembly in Richmond since 2012. However, Derrick Anderson, an Army Green Beret who has been critical of the Biden Adminstations’ pull out of Afghanistan, took second place, leaving Reeves in third and Stafford County Supervisor Crystal Vanuch in fourth. Spotsylvania County Supervisor David Ross and school teacher Gina Ciarcia round out fifth and sixth place, respectively.

Vega won her home county of Prince William with 52% of the vote. She worked hard to win the western-district counties like Orange (34% of the vote) and Culpeper and Green counties, where she won 32% of the vote in each of the two localities.

Vega was elected to the Prince William Board of County Supervisors in 2019. Since then, she’s been critical of the county’s decision to end the 287(g) program —  a partnership with federal immigration and customs enforcement that turned over inmates from the county jail who were suspected of being in the U.S. illegally.

She continues to be called “racist” by representatives of CASA. This Hispanic advocacy group advocates amnesty for all who crossed into the U.S. illegally and has been awarded more than $7 million from the Board of County Supervisors or a new immigration “welcome” center in Woodbridge.

In the days leading up to the Primary Election, Vega, after consulting with her campaign management firm, released a TV ad discussing her brother’s shooting at the hands of an MS-13 gang member in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County in 2005. He survived, but his friend, also shot in the same incident, died.

This story was written by Potomac Local News founder and publisher Uriah Kiser. If you enjoy local political news and analysis like this, please drop the paywall and become a member today. Thank you.