Election results from the 24th House District race have come in after polls closed at 7:00 p.m in Amherst, Bath, Rockbridge, and southern Augusta counties and the cities of Buena Vista and Lexington. The winner of the December 18 special election to succeed Congressman-elect Ben Cline (VA-6) is current Rockbridge County Supervisor Ronnie Campbell, who won the Republican nomination one month ago in a firehouse-style primary.
The results as reported by the Virginia Department of Elections (ELECT) are:
24th District: 100.00% reporting 47 precincts of 47
Ronnie Campbell – Republican – 6,619 votes – 59.25%
Christian Worth – Democrat – 4,485 votes – 40.15%
Write-in – 67 votes – 0.60%
Campbell said on his campaign website that he was the candidate with “more experience, dedication and loyal commitment to conservatism.”
The former law enforcement officer said that his “record as a fiscal conservative…exercis[ing] fiscal and budgetary restraint” during his time as a local elected officials will guide him in the General Assembly against tax raises proposed by Democrats and Governor Ralph Northam (D).
“I believe faith in God is essential to the moral fiber of our Nation,” Campbell added. “I also believe all individuals are entitled to equal rights, justice and opportunities as citizens of a free society. I will promote and protect free enterprise and fight to eliminate unconstitutional government interference.”
Yesterday, according to campaign finance reporting from the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP), Campbell received a big financial bump from two conservative representatives in the House of Delegates – $1,000 each from the campaign committees for Delegate Michael Webert (R-Rappahanock) and Delegate Gordon Helsel (R-Poquoson). Regardless, Campbell has had the fundraising lead during the entirety of race.
Pre-election campaign finance reports submitted last Tuesday showed that Campbell had $50,757 put into his campaign before the latest funding increase. Democratic challenger and liberal activist Worth raised $36,268 during the same time period, receiving a large portion of her funding from the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC) and the Democratic Party of Virginia, according to VPAP.
After tonight’s election, the Republicans in the lower chamber will continue to harbor a one-member majority going in the General Assembly session beginning January 9. Delegate-elect Campbell will also have the upcoming 45-day session to work for his constituents and capitalize on his campaign promises in the run-up to the 2019 election season as all 140 members of the General Assembly will be on the ballot.
