GOPSenate Primary Tuesday
The Aug. 4 Republican Primary to select a challenger to Democratic incumbent U.S. Sen. Mark Warner has not drawn a lot of interest locally through early voting. As of Monday morning, just .8 percent of registered voters in Rockbridge County, Lexington and Buena Vista had cast ballots.
Rockbridge County voting registrar Sheila Hall noted that just one person voted Saturday and one more voted Sunday during weekend voting hours. The previous Sunday, July 19, no one voted.
The three candidates seeking the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate race this fall are Kim Farington, Bert Mizusawa and David Williams.
There are no other primaries locally on Aug. 4. Warner has secured the Democratic Party’s nomination to run for a fourth six-year term. Warner, 71, a former governor, has said this will be his last Senate term, if he’s elected. An independent candidate, Mark Moran, will also be on the Nov. 3 ballot.
The major party candidates for the local Sixth District congressional race in the Nov. 3 election have already been selected. Republican incumbent U.S. Rep. Ben Cline is being challenged by Democratic Party nominee Beth Macy.
In early voting for the Republican U.S. Senate nomination, 227 ballots had been cast locally, as of Monday morning, July 27. In Rockbridge County, 107 in-person ballots had been cast and 60 absentee mailed ballots had been returned. In Buena Vista, 20 in-person ballots had been cast and 16 absentee mailed ballots had been returned. In Lexington, 18 in-person ballots had been cast and six mailed ballots had been returned.
Election Day for the Republican primary for U.S. Senate is next Tuesday, Aug. 4. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
