Witt wins Democratic nomination in 3-way contest in the 5th District

Political newcomer Gloria Witt, a businesswoman and community activist from Amherst County, won the Democratic nomination in a three-way contest in Virginia’s 5th Congressional District on Tuesday.

Witt defeated her two primary opponents, Gary Terry, a Kentucky native and a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point who moved to Danville three years ago, and Crozet resident Paul Riley, an intelligence analyst and U.S. Army veteran. According to unofficial numbers from the Virginia Department of Elections, with 292 of 303 precincts reporting at 11:25 p.m., Witt had 56.98% of the vote, to Terry’s 22.69% and Riley’s 20.34%.

In the general election on Nov. 5, Witt will face the winner of the Republican primary: incumbent Rep. Bob Good, R-Campbell County, or state Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland County. Their bitterly fought contest — one of the most watched and expensive primary battles nationwide this year — has not been called at the time of this story’s publication. McGuire had made his campaign a referendum on which candidate is a more loyal supporter of former President Donald Trump.

Moving into the fall, Witt’s campaign will face an uphill battle in the heavily Republican district, said David Richards, a political scientist with the University of Lynchburg.

“Good won the last time by double digits and going into the fall with Trump on the ballot as well, the GOP should easily clinch the election in the 5th. Democrats’ only hope is that this primary was so bruising that Republicans stay home, but I do not see that happening,” Richards said.

The 5th District encompasses the majority of Southside, including Danville, and also takes in the cities of Charlottesville and Lynchburg. It has been mostly Republican since 2002, when former Democrat-turned-independent Rep. Virgil Goode joined the GOP. Donald Trump won the district 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.

The only Democrat to hold the district’s congressional seat in recent years was Tom Perriello, who in 2008 defeated Goode with significant Democratic down-ballot coattails from Barack Obama’s successful presidential bid. Perriello lost to Republican Robert Hurt two years later.

But the viciously fought Republican primary, which forced both candidates to tap deeply into their war chests and made Trump a central figure, has Democrats hoping that election fatigue among some GOP voters and independents will tilt the contest in their favor — despite Good’s decisive 15-point victory against Democrat Josh Throneburg almost two years ago.

Witt said in a recent interview that the often nasty exchanges between Good and McGuire in the GOP primary will help Democrats win over voters who might be on the fence.

“When I win on June 18, I just can’t wait to debate their winner, because they are showing up poorly as they unveil the viciousness that they are both contributing to,” Witt said, referring to the two Republicans.

But if given a choice, Witt said she’d much rather face Good in the general election.

“He has made so many unconscionable decisions,” Witt said of Good. “The people that I interact with, including my conservative friends, are embarrassed to have him as our representative. He would be a wonderful challenger, because there’s evidence of how bad he is. In corporate America, if you don’t perform, you go home.”

Born and raised in Amherst County, Gloria Witt has always considered herself a country girl. But she is also a businesswoman with a 32-year career with global energy leader Framatome (formerly AREVA), and a mother and grandmother. She serves the community as a board member of several organizations, including as president of the NAACP Amherst County branch and as a board member with the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities.

Witt’s experience as a community organizer and businesswoman, including as the founder and CEO of Define Success Coaching, a company committed to developing the next generation of executives and leaders, makes her a suitable candidate to take on her Republican opponent, she said in the interview.

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