Potential Congressional candidates throw their names into the mix after special masters propose new Virginia district maps

Shortly after the special masters tasked with drawing Virginia’s legislative districts released their Congressional map proposals on Wednesday, potential candidates across the commonwealth began making moves and leaking news that they are planning to run in the 2022 midterms.

The lines in the proposal are not final, however. They are just a proposal that two special masters submitted to the Supreme Court of Virginia for review. The court is tasked with drawing the maps after the bipartisan redistricting commission failed earlier this year.

A new district in Northern Virginia with no incumbent is receiving a lot of attention from prominent Democrats in Prince William County. The 2021 lieutenant governor nominee Hala Ayala, state Del. Elizabeth Guzman, state Sen. Jeremy McPike, and former Del. Jennifer Carroll Foy are all considering a run in what would be the new Seventh Congressional District, according to sources close to each potential candidate.

Additionally, sources close to both officials say that Prince William County Supervisor Andrea Bailey (D) is considering a run in the seventh and Prince William Supervisor Jeanine Lawson (R) is considering a run either in the new Seventh or Tenth districts if the lines remain the same.

The only potential new Seventh District candidate to release an official statement is McPike, who said he is “humbled by the calls” he has received encouraging him to run and he plans to make a decision in the “coming weeks.”

Moving south, Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Henrico) received a tough draw from the special masters, whose map would move her out of the Seventh and into a more conservative district (a revamped First) with incumbent Republican Congressman Rob Wittman. The long list of Republicans that have already announced their bids to run against Spanberger also are facing a tough decision as to whether they would want to primary Wittman if the lines remain the same.

One of those Republicans, state Sen. Bryce Reeves, has already announced that he will be seeking the Republican nomination in the Tenth District in Northern Virginia, instead of running against Spanberger in the new First District.

Upon seeing the new proposed maps put out by the Supreme Court, I’m planning to run in the new proposed 10th Congressional District,” Reeves said Wednesday. “I’m also excited to reacquaint myself with the folks in the northern part of the district, many of whom I’ve had a great relationship with for many years.”

Republican Taylor Keeney, a resident of Goochland who is planning to seek the party's nomination in the current Seventh District, would not seek to run a primary against Wittman and would drop out if the lines keep her in his district, she wrote on Twitter.

State Del. John McGuire (R-56th District), who last month announced he too would seek the party's nomination in the Seventh, also is from Goochland and would be moved into the First if the proposed maps are adopted. On Thursday, he said he would wait until plans for new district lines were finalized before deciding upon a course of action.

“Tracy and I are waiting for a final Congressional map to be approved by the Virginia Supreme Court before we make any decisions. In the meantime, I am continuing to focus on my responsibilities as chair of Governor-Elect Youngkin's Veterans and Defense Affairs landing team," he said. "As a Delegate for the 56th District, I am also working diligently on our legislative priorities for the upcoming General Assembly session that will get Virginia back on track and make our Commonwealth the best place to live, work, and raise a family in peace."

On the southern side of Spanberger’s current district, state Sen. Amanda Chase and Tina Ramirez both reside in Chesterfield, which was cut off from Henrico and placed in the Fifth District, currently represented by Republican Congressman Bob Good.

“It’s not lost on me that my current home address is just barely in the easternmost side of the Fifth Congressional District and Bob Good is barely in the Fifth’s most western part of the district,” Chase said. “Clearly someone doesn’t want two conservative fighters in Congress.  Bob Good is doing a good job and shouldn’t be challenged.”

The Ramirez campaign said it is waiting for district lines to be finalized before making any decisions.

Chase echoed that sentiment.

“My understanding is that it’s not over yet," she said. "The public should express their concern over the lack of communities of interest being put together, which is clearly not represented with these maps.”

In an interview with Virginia Scope Wednesday night, Chase said the Republican special master should be “tarred and feathered.”

Spanberger’s campaign did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday night.

The maps are not final, as the Supreme Court of Virginia still must approve them. It is unclear how much altering the court will do to the lines, but there seems to be a general consensus among operatives in both parties that the final maps will be similar to the ones released Wednesday.

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This article originally appeared on VirginiaScope.com. It is republished here with permission.