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Gov. Glenn Youngkin has endorsed three candidates in contested Republican nominations for the General Assembly. All three are sitting legislators. Two are incumbents facing nomination challengers; one is an incumbent seeking to move from the House to the Senate and is in a contested race.
In House District 42, Youngkin endorsed Del. Jason Ballard, R-Giles County, who faces a nomination challenge from Jody Pyles. That nomination will be decided in a June 3 convention at New River Community College in Pulaski County. The district covers Giles County, Radford and parts of Montgomery and Pulaski counties.
In Senate District 28, Youngkin endorsed state Sen. Bryce Reeves, R-Spotsylvania County, who faces a nomination challenge from Mike Allers. That nomination will be decided in a May 6 firehouse primary. The district covers Culpeper County, Orange County, Greene County, Madison County, Rappahannock County and parts of Fauquier and Spotsylvania counties.
In Senate District 10, Youngkin endorsed Del. John McGuire, R-Appomattox County, who faces three other candidates: Duane Allen, Sandy Brindley and Jack Dyer. That nomination will be decided in a May 6 convention at Buckingham County High School. The district covers Powhatan, Goochland, Fluvanna, Appomattox, Buckingham, Amelia and Cumberland counties, plus parts of Hanover, Louisa, Prince Edward and Henrico counties.
In a statement, Youngkin’s political action committee called Ballard, Reeves and McGuire “key members of the Day One team in the General Assembly.” The statement also said “there will be future endorsements announced in the coming weeks.”
In Southwest and Southside, there are seven Republican nominating contests where Youngkin has not yet endorsed:
* Will Davis and Ron Jefferson are seeking the Republican nomination for House District 39 that covers Franklin County and part of Roanoke County. That nomination will be decided in a June 20 primary.
* Lowell Bowman and Chris Obenshain are competing for the Republican nomination in House District 41, which covers parts of Montgomery and Roanoke County. The nomination will be decided in a May 4 convention in Montgomery County.
* In one of the most closely watched nomination contests in the state, Dels. Marie March, R-Floyd County, and Wren Williams, R-Patrick County, are squaring off in House District 47, which covers Floyd County, Carroll County, Galax, Patrick County and part of Henry County. That nomination will be decided in a June 20 primary.
* John Marsden is challenging Del. Tommy Wright, R-Lunenburg County, in House District 50 that covers Mecklenburg, Charlotte and Lunenburg counties, parts of Prince Edward and Halifax counties. That nomination will be decided in a June 20 primary.
* Tim Griffin and Sarah Mays are competing for the Republican nomination in House District 53, which covers part of Bedford County, Amherst County and part of Nelson County. That nomination will be decided in a May 6 convention in Bedford County.
* Former U.S. Rep. Tom Garrett, Kevin Bailey and Jennie Woods are competing for the Republican nomination in House District 56, which covers Appomattox, Buckingham and Cumberland counties, and parts of Fluvanna, Goochland, Prince Edward and Louisa counties. That nomination will be decided in a May 20 convention in Cumberland County.
* Del. Emily Brewer, R-Suffolk, and former NASCAR driver Hermie Sadler are competing for the Republican nomination in Senate District 17, which covers part of Portsmouth, Suffolk, Isle of Wight County, Southampton County, Franklin city, Emporia, Greensville County, Brunswick County and part of Dinwiddie County. That nomination will be decided in a June 20 primary.
See our full list of nomination contests in Southwest and Southside for both parties.