Democrats have been taking advantage of the anniversary of the January 6 riot at the Capitol in a variety of ways. For Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA), a so-called moderate who was elected in the blue wave of 2018, that means announcing her bid for re-election.
The announcement references little to do with what the congresswoman wants her constituents to know she's accomplished, and instead focuses on the day's significance. The statement was released at 1:46pm, the moment when she evacuated her office last year. Luria is also a member of the select committee on January 6.
"The call and courage to serve is not one that I take lightly or without deliberation. I have been honored to serve the people of Coastal Virginia over the past three years. This is our community. I took an oath to serve. And in this critical moment for our democracy, I intend to continue serving," the announcement closed with. Luria has served in the Navy and rose to the rank of commander.
I took an oath to serve. And in this critical moment for our democracy, I intend to continue serving. (7/7)
— Elaine Luria (@ElaineLuriaVA) January 6, 2022
Andy Baan, a Republican who is running against Luria, provided a statement for Townhall taking note of her connection to that date, also taking issue with "selective outrage" from the Democrats.
"When riots were happening across the nation, and right here in our own backyard in Richmond, the Democrats remained silent. However, since it now fits their political narrative, Democrats are railing against the riots that occurred on January 6 of last year," he said. "Let me be clear: attacking the U.S. Capitol was wrong. However, the selective outrage campaign over January 6 is falling on deaf ears. If Elaine Luria and the Democrats were serious about protecting communities and keeping people safe from rioters, they would have spoken up about this sooner when it was sweeping the nation," Baan continued. "I look forward to taking back this seat for the people of Virginia's Second Congressional district. They deserve a Congressperson who is committed to standing for the U.S. Constitution and upholding the rule of law."
Baan, like Luria, has served in the Navy and is a retired Navy Captain who was selected as a Navy Commanding Officer six times. He is also an Iraq War/Bronze Star veteran, a former prosecutor, defense contractor program manager and cybersecurity consultant.
The redistrict has been redrawn, with the Virginia Supreme Court recently having approved of new maps. As a result, the district is even more competitive. It was already a competitive race and considered one to closely watch to begin with.
NRCC spokesperson Camille Gallo told Townhall that "Elaine Luria has done nothing for Virginians except support Democrats’ socialist agenda that has caused prices to skyrocket, violent crime to rise and children to fall behind in school. She will be fired in November."
Of particular concern for Luria, as I highlighted in November, is that Governor-Elect Glenn Youngkin (R) won what was her district under the old maps by 8 percentage points. Youngkin takes office on January 15.
The 2022 midterms look particularly bright for the Republican Party overall as well. Recently, the Cook Political Report forecasted that the GOP will take control of the House.
Historical trends show that the president's party tends to lose seats during his first midterm election. Democratic majorities in the House and Senate are in the single digits, and President Joe Biden is also faring quite poorly in the polls and has consistently for some time. There are also a particularly high amount of Democrats announcing they are retiring from Congress, with the current number at 25.
All things considered, 2022 is looking to be a perfect storm for the GOP, and that includes in the 2nd district of Virginia.