The Story:
Congressman Denver Riggleman, a freshman in the House who represents Virginia’s 5th district, will not be returning for a second term in January. The Republican nomination for that seat has gone instead to Bob Good, a former athletics director at Liberty University who outflanks Riggleman to the right on social issues.
Background:
The 5th district consists chiefly of the Blue Ridge region and includes the city of Charlottesville. This year, the nomination was determined by a convention rather than a primary.
Riggleman is a former avionics technician and intelligence officer in the US Air Force whose politics may be described as libertarian/conservative. He presided over the wedding of two of his (male) 2018 campaign volunteers, exciting ire from those who believe that homosexuality should never receive stamps of approval from the legal system.
Good calls himself a “biblical conservative.” His campaign managed to split the Falwell family. Jerry Falwell Sr., the founder of Liberty University, passed away in 2007. One of his sons, Jerry Falwell Jr., endorsed Riggleman while the other, Jonathan Falwell, endorsed Good.
The Thing to Know:
It is as yet unknown what Democratic nominee Bob Good, now the Republican nominee, will be facing in the November election. The Democratic Party will decide that in a primary on June 23.
