Yesterday on the campaign trail, I drove 178 miles and stopped three times to talk to voters. Your Congressman Ben Cline was in Napa Valley drinking wine, eating food and hobnobbing and data-center plotting with lobbyists and campaign contributors. He’s with them. I’m with YOU.

I am honored to receive the endorsement of the Democratic Latino Organization of Virginia! I am humbled to have earned the trust of a vibrant, essential community whose voices are shaping the Commonwealth. Come out to the Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration in Roanoke today, from noon until 4 p.m.!

Virginia was hit hard by DOGE firings that affected the whole Commonwealth’s economy, not just the D.C. suburbs. Keep your eye on this one as an indicator of how big the blue wave actually is.

The Shenandoah Valley–centered district has some college towns and artsy progressive pockets and is generally less rural than its redder southwestern neighbor (the 9th).

Tim’s Rationale: Virginia’s 1st, 2nd, and 5th districts are more obvious pickup opportunities with plenty of support from national Democrats. But Virginia Dem insiders tell me VA-06 is the sneaky one to watch.

Unsurprisingly, he was in favor of Trump’s attempted coup.

Incumbent Republican Ben Cline is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, and a 2024 analysis by FiveThirtyEight placed Cline in the same “quiet caucus” of “Far-Right Obstructionists” as MTG, Lauren Boebert, and Jim Jordan.

Despite being a memoirist with ties to Appalachia, she balks at any association with JD Vance, which is automatically appealing to me, obviously.

Beth Macy (VA-06) Cook rating: Solid R (R+12) 2024 Result: Ben Cline (R): 63.2%, Ken Mitchell (D): 34.8% Beth Macy is a reporter and nonfiction author who wrote Dopesick about the opioid crisis (which was later adapted into a great TV show, fwiw).

My Mom always said I was the sneaky one to watch. 😉 Thanks to Tim Miller of The Bulwark for moving my race to his list of Dems Who Can Win Red America. Here's the rundown from The Bulwark:

“And now he ignores the good people of Clifton Forge and the Alleghany Highlands. “I will keep my word, and I look forward to meeting folks in Clifton Forge on Oct. 14.”

“And in Roanoke, he has not met with constituents who have gathered outside his office every Monday for 88 straight weeks, through heat, rain, wind and sleet. Not even a wave or a hello.

“With 35 days to go before Election Day, the congressman sure is going to be busy with town hall appearances. Let us know if you see a rare Ben Cline sighting in the wild!