Amid internal GOP feud in the 5th District, Democrat Gloria Witt sees her chance

As Republicans in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District remain divided over their support of their party’s nominee, state Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland, and U.S. Bob Good, R-Farmville, the incumbent, Democrat Gloria Witt sees an opening in the traditionally conservative district.

Political analysts suggest the GOP infighting could provide Witt, a political newcomer with lifelong roots in the mostly rural district, an advantage in the Nov. 5 election, after some Republican hardliners have vowed to write in Good, the chairman of the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus.

And in a district where turnout and enthusiasm are crucial, a divided Republican electorate could allow the Democrat to make unexpected gains in the general election.

“A write-in campaign benefiting a defeated GOP primary candidate is certainly part of a best-case scenario for a Democratic candidate in District 5,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist at the University of Mary Washington.

“So too is a strong performance by Vice President Kamala Harris in the debate against former President Donald Trump last week. But even those tailwinds for Democrats do not erase the fact that the boundaries of the district are very, very friendly to Republicans.”

But while Witt is quite aware that the rift between Good and McGuire supporters could potentially reshape the contest’s dynamics heading into November, she remains unfazed and vows to stay focused on shaping her own message.

“I’m hearing the same things about the tensions between the McGuire and Good campaigns, but I’m really not paying too much attention to them, they do what they do,” Witt said in a recent phone interview. “My focus is on appealing to the interests of the voters of District 5, and I believe that we do have enough votes to win based on the interests that impact them.”

Witt, a businesswoman and community activist from Amherst County, won her party’s nomination in the June 18 primary after defeating her two primary opponents, Gary Terry, a Kentucky native and a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and Paul Riley, an intelligence analyst and U.S. Army veteran.

According to data from the Virginia Department of Elections, Witt prevailed with 57.17% of the vote, compared to Terry’s 22.43% and Riley’s 20.40%.

Witt said in the interview that since announcing her candidacy in the spring, she has been crisscrossing the district that spans 11,000-square-miles t, which encompasses the majority of Southside, including Danville, and the cities of Charlottesville and Lynchburg.

“I’m averaging about 3,000 to 4,000 miles a month. We are canvassing, we are phone banking, we are engaging in postcarding and doing the work,” Witt said. “We cannot afford to have anybody on the bench. We all have to be engaged, it is a crucial election cycle, every vote counts. We intend to win this based on what people care about.”

Despite the ongoing intra-party feud among supporters of McGuire and Good, Witt’s campaign remains an uphill battle in a district that has been mostly Republican since 2002, when former Democrat-turned-independent Rep. Virgil Goode joined the GOP. Trump won the 5th with 53% in both 2016 and 2020, and in the 2021 gubernatorial election, Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe with 60% to 39.4% of the vote.

And Witt isn’t the only one hitting the road. Sean Brown, a spokesman for McGuire’s campaign, said in a text message that McGuire is “campaigning tirelessly to get the message out that we must grow our economy, secure our borders, and strengthen our national defense.”

“Voters in the 5th District understand what is at stake in this election and that the only way to achieve these goals is to elect Donald Trump and deliver a Republican majority in the House and Senate,” Brown said.

Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland. (Virginia House of Delegates)

But Witt said that the GOP has changed in the eight years since Trump’s first presidential bid.

“We are no longer operating with the standard GOP platform, which is not your momma and daddy’s platform. It has been hijacked and replaced by something that is new and different,” she said, citing Project 2025, an initiative launched by the Heritage Foundation in 2022 aimed at advancing conservative and right-wing policies to restructure the federal government and strengthen executive power in the event of a Trump victory in November.

“I believe that the voters of District 5 are aware of the impact of Project 2025, and if we allow it to be implemented across the nation, it is going to impact all of us.”

Witt said that codifying Roe v. Wade and women’s reproductive health remains the premier concern that she hears from voters as she travels the district. “There is a lot of energy from women to be recognized for having domain over their bodies,” she said.

Other priorities include furthering economic growth across, access to public education with a focus on K-12, “and this whole idea of protecting social security, strengthening families and healthcare.”

Harris’ nomination as her party’s presidential candidate has also helped motivate Democrats in the district, Witt said.

“I think that there is a lot of energy around this concept of being future-focused driven by opportunity for all of us versus the other choice, which would mean the control of our rights, a loss of democracy and a questionable economic future. The choices are pretty clear, and I think the rise of Kamala Harris just paints this picture that is so much more positive.”

Witt said that after six months of heavy campaigning, she has yet to meet her opponent, who has faced criticism from GOP officials in the district for what they said was a lack of campaigning.

“From what I know he is pro-God, pro-Trump, pro-guns, and he was present on Jan. 6 at the Capitol,” she said, referring to the attack on the U.S. Capitol building by a mob of supporters of then–resident Trump in early 2021. While McGuire, a former Navy SEAL, attended the rally that day, there is no evidence that he participated in any violent activities.

And seven weeks before the election, both candidates have yet to face off in a debate.

Last week, the Amherst County Democratic Committee invited McGuire to a forum at the Nelson Heritage Center in Nelson County to be held in late September or early October.

“We believe all citizens have a right to know the views of those who seek to represent them. We are hopeful Senator McGuire will agree to participate in the forum,” Craig Pleasants, vice president of the Amherst County Democrats, said in a statement.

Brown, McGuire’s spokesman, said that his campaign was considering an invitation to a debate hosted by the Wilson Center for Leadership in the Public Interest at Hampden-Sydney College in Farmville. “We’re just waiting on dates and times,” Brown said.

Witt said that she was ready to face McGuire.

“I am willing to engage in a debate or forum, I am ready, willing and able, depending on whoever invites us to the table you will get a yes from me,” she said.

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