AP Decision Notes: What to expect in Virginia’s state primary

WASHINGTON (AP) — For the third time in nine months, Virginia residents will vote in a statewide election on Tuesday, this time to choose nominees for U.S. House, including in some competitive swing districts that could decide control of the narrowly divided chamber in November. The congressional primaries will take place using the commonwealth’s existing district boundaries.

Voters approved a more Democratic-friendly map in April, but Virginia’s highest court invalidated the new boundaries less than three weeks later. The failed effort to enact a new Virginia map was in response to a largely successful push by President Donald Trump and state lawmakers in several Republican-controlled states like Texas and Missouri to redraw their congressional maps ahead of schedule and boost their party’s chances of maintaining their fragile U.S. Under the current map, Virginia’s most competitive U.S.

House seat is likely in the 2nd Congressional District, where a rematch may be in the works between two-term Republican U.S. Jen Kiggans and the Democrat she unseated in 2022, former U.S. Luria is among four Democrats seeking the nomination, but the retired Navy commander and former House Select Jan.

Kiggans, also a former Naval officer, is unopposed in the Republican primary. A contested primary is also underway in the neighboring 1st Congressional District, where seven Democratic hopefuls are running to unseat Republican U.S. That field includes Henrico County Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor, retired Navy Commander and former corporate government affairs executive Jason Knapp, and attorneys Salaam Bhatti and Mel Tull.

Wittman, who is seeking a 10th full term, is unopposed for renomination. In the 7th Congressional District, which straddles Northern and Central Virginia, freshman Democratic U.S. Eugene Vindman faces no primary challengers in his bid for a second term.

In November, he’ll face the winner of a three-way primary between Republicans Philip Harding, Doug Ollivant and Rick Smithers. The Democratic primary in the 5th Congressional District also features a comeback attempt by a former member of Congress. Tom Perriello served one term from 2009 to 2011 in the Charlott…