Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, now with a clear path to the Democratic nomination for governor next year, jumped into the party’s primary in the 1st Congressional District on Friday by endorsing political newcomer Leslie Mehta for the nomination.
Mehta, 47, a former civil rights attorney in Chesterfield County, is running against former New Kent County Treasurer Herb Jones for the Democratic nomination to challenge Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st, who defeated Jones two years ago. The sprawling 1st District includes parts of Hanover, Henrico and Chesterfield counties in the Richmond area.
People are also reading…
Spanberger, a three-term congresswoman who lives in western Henrico County, said Friday that she has known Metha from “working together to fight rare diseases.” Metha’s daughter, Brooke, then 5, died from Rett Syndrome, a rare, genetic neurological disorder.
“I was inspired by her bravery, as she had just lost her young daughter to a disease,” Spanberger said in a statement announcing her endorsement. “Virginians will be fortunate to have such an engaged representative working to improve their lives, because I know she will bring her tenacity, intelligence, and passion to the U.S House every day.”
Mehta, on leave from her job as counsel and chief of staff to the CEO at the Richmond Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said she seeks to carry on Spanberger’s legacy in the district. Parts of the 1st previously were part of the 7th Congressional District until the Virginia Supreme Court completely redrew the political map at the end of 2021 and moved the congresswoman’s district to Northern Virginia.
“I will fight for reproductive freedom, for strong public schools, for climate resilience, and to protect democracy, just as Congresswoman Spanberger has done throughout her career,” Mehta said. “She will continue to be a role model for me.”
The endorsement came as a surprise to Jones, 65, a retired U.S. Army colonel, who questioned why Spanberger and other Democratic elected officials would intervene in the primary fight to support his opponent.
“I don’t understand why these people are putting their thumb on the scale in a primary,” he said in a telephone interview on Friday. “The Republicans don’t do that to each other.”
Spanberger has a clear path to the Democratic nomination for governor with the decision by Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney to drop out of the race this week and run instead for the party nomination for lieutenant governor.
Spanberger has declined to endorse anyone in the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, which also includes Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach; Prince William County School Board Chair Babur Lateef; and, potentially, Sen. Ghazala Hashmi, D-Chesterfield.
Rouse and Hashmi also have endorsed Mehta, along with Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus, and a number of state and local elected officials in the Richmond area.
“Bottom line, I have name recognition throughout the district,” said Jones, who lost to Wittman by 13 percentage points in 2022. “She still has to beat me at the ballot box.”