With less a month away from Election Day, we're still seeing forecast changes, including in critical House seats. With Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) retiring to run for governor in 2025, it's an open seat for Virginia's 7th Congressional District. While the forecasts once favored Eugene Vindman, the Democratic nominee in his race against Republican Derrick Anderson, Cook Political Report just recently moved the race into the "Toss-Up" column.
Anderson was quick to commemorate the race change, with several posts over X, including a pinned post from Wednesday.
NEW: @CookPolitical just moved our race against @YVindman to a TOSS-UP.
— Derrick Anderson (@DerrickforVA) October 8, 2024
It doesn’t get any closer than this, folks - and I need your help.
Can you go to https://t.co/x1ZtU5n35E and pitch in right now?https://t.co/0XRyjpfJtM
ICYMI: #VA07 is now officially a Toss Up.
— Derrick Anderson (@DerrickforVA) October 8, 2024
The momentum is in our favor. I’m running a campaign to represent everyone across #VA07, my home and the place that raised me.
Learn more and join my next mission at https://t.co/x1ZtU5n35E. https://t.co/9jWbztlxRy
.@CookPolitical just shifted our #VA07 race to a Toss-Up.
— Derrick Anderson (@DerrickforVA) October 9, 2024
We are focused everyday on bettering the futures of the people of #VA07, my home, the place that raised me.
If you can donate, knock doors, make phone calls, or just want to learn more, visit https://t.co/x1ZtU5mvg6! pic.twitter.com/g6anyNZQYi
Anderson has been hitting Vindman for his refusal to participate in televised debates and for relying on fake polls to boost his debate performance in those for which he did participate. There's also been concerns with Vindman's military rank and record. The Republican nominee has appeared to numerous local debates now, while his Democratic opponent has declined to show up.
The race change comes as Anderson released a new ad against Vindman, highlighting his claims about his rank as a colonel and having "used weapons on the battlefield."
FACTS: our new #VA07 ad focuses on my opponent’s lies about his military record.@YVindman tells voters that he’s a colonel — that’s false.
— Derrick Anderson (@DerrickforVA) October 9, 2024
Vindman is actually a Lt. Col, and he knows it.
That’s why he applied for a special waiver to retire at the rank of colonel. The waiver… https://t.co/oPIr1cO25f
Vindman has had his own controversies on his own, including and especially when it comes to his sister-in-law, Rachel Vindman doubling down on her jokes about the assassination attempts against former and potentially future President Donald Trump. Rachel, and her husband Alexander Vindman, who is the candidate's twin brother, both made the political violence directed against Trump about themselves.
Cook Political Report also had good news for incumbent Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. of New Jersey's 7th Congressional District, as his race moved from "Toss-Up" to "Lean Republican."
New @CookPolitical House rating changes: two Mid-Atlantic races shift in Republicans' favor.#NJ07 Kean (R) - Toss Up to Lean R#VA07 OPEN (Spanberger) (D) - Lean D to Toss Up
— Dave Wasserman (@Redistrict) October 8, 2024
Full analysis by @ercovey: https://t.co/snRMaM81Ix
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