At first glance, it would appear that Spanberger has the upper hand. As UMW professor Stephen Farnsworth has pointed out, “Suburban Republicans tend to shy away from cultural warriors, and that creates a potential problem for the Republican nominee going forward.”
But Vega isn’t your traditional culture warrior. Her family’s immigration story, the attack on her brother by members of MS-13, and her rise from police officer to candidate for Congress is compelling stuff. Says Farnsworth, it “might help her with some voters who do not reflexively belong to one party or the other.”
