After Delegate Ben Cline (R-Rockbridge) won his congressional election Tuesday night with 60 percent of the vote following the retirement of Representative Bob Goodlatte (VA-6), his seat in the state legislature is now vacant. On Friday morning, Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) released a planned schedule for a special election to fill the seat. After sending a letter to Speaker Cox, congressman-elect Cline is set to officially resign effective December 18, 2018.
“Delegate Ben Cline has been a leader in the House of Delegates and I know he will continue to be a leader while serving in Congress,” said Speaker Cox in a press release.
Since the House is currently in session, Cox has the constitutional authority to issue a “Writ of Election” when vacancies in the legislature occur. The speaker added, “To give the next Delegate from the 24th District as much time as possible to prepare for the upcoming session, and to ensure that the people of the 24th District are represented for the entire 2019 session, I am calling a special election for December 18th.”
Although special elections are typically scheduled for the first week of January, Cox explained, “this year’s calendar and Delegate Cline’s offer to step down early affords us the opportunity to have a special election sooner. This is very efficient and practical timeline.”
In the planned schedule set forth by the Republican speaker, on November 13, Cox will formally issue the Writ of Election. Less than one week later, on November 19, the filing deadline for political parties to nominate candidates has been set.
Although no Democrats have professed interest in running a candidate, at least yet, the GOP is rumored to have at least four candidates that may throw their name in the hat.
As reported by The News Virginian, the announced Republican candidates include two members of the Rockbridge County Board of Supervisors, Ronnie Campbell and Jay Lewis; business owner Catie Austin-Brown of Rockbridge County; and Alan Ferguson of Amherst County. Sixth Congressional District Republican Chair Jennifer Brown has stated she plans to call for a firehouse primary on November 17 to select a Republican nominee.
December 12 will be the voter registration deadline, with December 18 being the date set to have the special election.