Incumbent Rep. Denver Riggleman representing the 5th congressional district lost his spot on the November ballot to challenger Bob Good:
First-term Rep. Denver Riggleman ousted at #VA05 GOP convention after officiating a same-sex wedding in 2019.
The state party called the race for challenger Bob Good, who ended the night with 58% of the vote. (per @Meg_Cunn)
— Kendall Karson (@kendallkarson) June 14, 2020
Good was chosen not by voters but by delegates in a “drive-thru convention”:
As a #VA05 voter, I strongly believe that this should have been decided through an actual primary, not a drive-thru convention at a church in Lynchburg. https://t.co/NCLjdNtPG8
— Cam Edwards (@CamEdwards) June 14, 2020
Riggleman was backed by President Trump:
The Virginia GOP has now gone so far right that a congressman backed by Donald Trump and Jerry Falwell, Jr. (Denver Riggleman) isn’t considered conservative enough to re-nominate. Riggleman was a down-the-line US House vote for Trump’s agenda.
— Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) June 14, 2020
Riggleman has yet to concede, however, and accused the party of voter fraud:
Voting irregularities and ballot stuffing has been reported in multiple counties in the #VA05. Voter fraud has been a hallmark of this nomination process and I will not stand for it. @VA_GOP needs to reevaluate their priorities. We are evaluating all our options at this time.
— Denver Riggleman (@Denver4VA) June 14, 2020
Riggelman reportedly angered delegates after he officiated a friends’ same-sex wedding:
VA GOP: Our state has turned blue. Let’s put a tiny number of hardcore right-wing activists in charge of selecting our candidates. This will allow us to fulfill cartoonish stereotypes by purging an incumbent, without a primary, because he officiated friends’ same-sex wedding.? https://t.co/YSNlhCLIXQ
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) June 14, 2020
The New York Times is reporting that Good missed the deadline to appear on the November ballot despite winning the convention:
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'… Good failed to correctly file the paperwork to be on the ballot in the general election in November. The Virginia Republican Party has asked the State Board of Elections to extend the filing deadline.'#VA05 https://t.co/KY8t4aCRZT
— Bruno #StayHome Navarro (@Bruno_J_Navarro) June 14, 2020
He’s asked the Dem-controlled board for an extension:
Sort of. He can ask the board for an extension which is dem controlled but has been soft on this in the past.
— Ben Tribbett (@notlarrysabato) June 14, 2020
Republicans will still be favored in the district, but it’s a headache if he’s not on the ballot:
And I'll be adding VA-5 to my list. Pending whether Good will be on the ballot, or will be a write-in, and the Dem nominee, rating will indeed still be Likely R. BC believe it or not, even w this extremist, Rs still favored here. https://t.co/1EV3tqvK7Z
— Rachel "The Doc" Bitecofer ??? (@RachelBitecofer) June 14, 2020
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