Retired Air Force Col. Dave Beckwith and retired Army Maj. Gen. Bert Mizusawa won their Republican primaries Tuesday, Aug. 4, setting up two November contests that will shape Northern Virginia's congressional representation.
Beckwith captured 72.5% of the vote in the 10th Congressional District, earning the right to challenge first-term Democratic Rep. Suhas Subramanyam on Nov. 3. Mizusawa took 50.71% statewide in the U.S. Senate race and will face Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, who is seeking a fourth six-year term.
As we previewed Tuesday morning, Vienna-area Republican voters had the Senate primary on their ballots. Voters in the southern Fairfax County portions of the 10th District also weighed in on the House race.
10th District: Beckwith dominates
Beckwith, a 30-year Air Force veteran, cancer survivor and former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, won with a 52-percentage-point margin over Fairfax County teacher Julie Perry, who finished second with 20.33%, according to the Virginia Mercury. National security professional Anthony Suttles received 5.54%. A fourth candidate, retired Army Lt. Col. Sam Wong, had withdrawn after ballots were printed but still received 1.63%.
"My plan is to represent the district and not just the party, and I think that's distinctly different from what [Subramanyam] has done," Beckwith told InsideNoVa in a phone call Tuesday night.
The 10th District covers all of Loudoun County, Fauquier and Rappahannock counties, the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, the western half of Prince William County and about 15,000 voters in the Clifton and Union Mill areas of southern Fairfax County. The district leans Democratic, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
Subramanyam, who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination, issued a statement Tuesday evening accusing House Republicans of raising costs on constituents, wasting taxpayer money and putting loyalty to President Trump over protecting the community.
Senate: Mizusawa faces steep climb
Mizusawa, who heads a McLean-based consulting and technology firm, beat David Williams (29.54%) and Kim Farington (19.75%). The Associated Press called the race at 7:29 p.m.
He enters the general election with $52,964 cash on hand, according to Cardinal News, compared to Warner's $16.1 million. Virginia has not elected a Republican to the U.S. Senate since 2002.
Warner was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.
8th District: Beyer wins Democratic primary
In the neighboring 8th Congressional District, six-term Rep. Don Beyer turned back four Democratic primary challengers with 66.89% of the vote. Former Alexandria City Councilman Mo Seifeldein finished second at 18.12%. Beyer will face Republican Tony Sabio on Nov. 3 in the heavily Democratic district, which covers Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County.
What's next
Tuesday's results are unofficial. Virginia accepts mail ballots postmarked by Election Day and received by noon Friday, Aug. 7. Local and state electoral boards will canvass and certify results in the weeks ahead. The general election is Nov. 3.
