“When the Seventh was largely a suburban Richmond district (before the 2020 Census redistricting),” says Mary Washington University professor Stephen Farnsworth, “it was seen as safely Republican, at least until Abigail Spanberger demonstrated a Democratic candidate could win there.” “The Seventh District,” says Farnsworth, “has become one of the most expensive districts in the nation for two reasons: it is the most competitive congressional district in the very expensive Washington television market, and the district’s proximity to DC means that candidates have no problem raising a lot of money from the wealthy donors. Both parties want the bragging rights that come from winning this high-profile district.”
