Republican Party of Virginia announces 4th congressional district canvass winner

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - The race is on to fill Virginia’s 4th Congressional District seat after the passing of Representative Donald McEachin.

On Saturday Republicans decided who will represent their party in the special election. Three Republican candidates tried to win their spot on the ballot for the 4th congressional district special election.

Leon Benjamin, Derrick Hollie, and Dale Sturdifen were in the parking lot of Life Christian Academy shaking hands and trying to sway as many voters as they could before walking through the doors to cast their ballots.

Richmond native, Pastor and U.S. Navy Veteran Leon Benjamin was successful in gaining the most votes making him the Republican nominee for the 4th District Special Election.

“Today the energy has been a steady flow of people very exciting we’ve been canvassing and campaigning all afternoon,” Hollie said.

The election was held using Ranked Choice Voting where people came out to rank all of the candidates from most to least preferred. Candidates only had about a week to prepare for the primary.

“We haven’t had a lot of chance to campaign to let them know who we are but I’ve been doing some brief introductions and I think it’s going to go our way,” explained Sturdifen.

Though some candidates have previously run for office before like Leon Benjamin who lost against McEachin in November.

“I’m the most qualified and it’s time to see this change happen,” Benjamin stated.

On the Democratic side of the aisle, state senator and candidate Jennifer McClellan was joined by US Senator Tim Kaine at a northside house.

“I said at Donald’s funeral he cannot be replaced he cannot be replaced but he can have a worthy successor,” Kaine said.

They pushed voters to go cast their ballot for the Democratic primary on Tuesday. That election will be held as a firehouse primary with eight different polling locations.

“Make sure they know when and where to go because if you do that then we’re going to win,” explained McClellan.

The other candidates who will be on the ballot during the democratic primary include state senator Joe Morrissey, attorney Joseph Preston and Tavorise Marks who founded Commonwealth Equal.

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