In Virginia’s 10th Congressional district, Democratic state Senator Jennifer Wexton defeated Republican incumbent Barbara Comstock, flipping the first House seat as election results came in this evening.
NRA DEFEAT: Gun safety champion Jennifer Wexton has defeated Rep. Barbara Comstock, a top recipient of NRA funding whose Virginia district was home to NRA headquarters. Wexton's campaign was backed by former congresswoman and gun violence survivor Gabby Giffords pic.twitter.com/5HXSmCQ0eD
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) November 7, 2018
Comstock has held the seat since 2015, and despite being in liberal Northern Virginia, the district has elected a Republican in every election since 1980, until now. What’s more, the seat has been held by a Republican for 60 of the past 66 years.
According to CNBC, Wexton was “one of only a few Democrats in tight races who raised less money than their Republican opponent.” Wexton was reported to have raised $4.6 million, while Comstock raised $5 million. Despite this, Democrats had been fairly sure they could expect a victory this year.
Sophomore Will Wicker, resident of VA-10, said he is happy the district flipped. “I’m really glad that the district went blue,” Wicker said in a Facebook message. “I think it represents the viewpoint of a large portion of Americans today in regards to the Republican party.”