It's Kiggans

Look out Elaine Luria, Jen Kiggans is coming for you. 

Yesterday Republicans in the 2nd District voted overwhelmingly to nominate State Sen. Kiggans to run against incumbent Luria for Congress in November. 

And it looks like the sleazeballs who bankrolled the political action committees that distorted Kiggans’ record wasted their money. So did the candidate who engaged in bitter, negative advertising.

Not long after the polls closed it became clear that the nurse practitioner and former Naval helicopter pilot had trounced her three opponents. She garnered 56% of the vote in this four-way contest, quite a feat. Her nearest rival, Jarome Bell, lagged far behind at just 27%.

Kiggans was the frontrunner all along but in the last several weeks the campaign took a dark turn. Several murky PACs - no doubt funded by Democrats - blanketed the airwaves and direct mail with ugly and misleading claims about Kiggans. Clearly the Dems fear Kiggans and wanted a far-right opponent for Luria. Someone who might be beatable even during a national red wave.

While it’s common  for mischief-making Democrats and Republicans to vote in each other’s open primaries, dark PAC money aimed at hurting popular candidates and nominating fringy ones is something new. It’s been happening across the country this year.

Fortunately, it didn’t work in the 2nd District and Luria - whose electorate became more Republican after redistricting - is in trouble.

It appears the incumbent is making the same mistake that Terry McAuliffe did during his ill-fated campaign for governor last year: She’s focusing on Donald Trump instead of on kitchen table issues that actually matter to voters.

Anyone who believes that voters will head to the polls in November to vote on issues like Trump’s culpability in January 6th while gas prices are astronomical, the supply chain is broken and the country is either in a recession or headed for one, is politically ignorant.

“This is our chance to retake control of our country. It’s time to restore American strength in our economy, at our borders, and on the world stage. Now let’s get to work!” Kiggans Tweeted on Tuesday night.

Jen Kiggans should be a formidable candidate for the GOP. No doubt the nastiness of the primary campaign prepared her for what’s to come.

There was a lesson in last night’s results for any politician paying attention: Smart voters aren’t fooled by lies and distortions.

Oh, and the 2nd District has a lot of smart voters.