Morrissey-Aird contest responsible for most early voting so far in primary season

The 13th Senate District primary is not only the most hotly contested and closely watched, it also is drawing the most early voters of all of next month’s Democratic battles in either the House or Senate.

According to a report released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project, 1,443 voters had cast their ballots as of May 17. That is almost 100 more than the next closest in the Charlottesville-centered 11^th District, and 190 more than in the 18^th District that pits two Democratic incumbents against each other.

The Democratic contest for the 82^nd House District has not received as much attention as the 13^th, but it still ranks third among the 16 Democratic contests for delegate seats. VPAP says 609 people have voted early districtwide.

Locally, Petersburg general registrar Dawn Wilmoth said 200 early ballots have been cast in the city. She called that amount “fair” and added it was what she expected to see two weeks into the early voting season for the June 20 primaries.

In the 13th, which stretches from eastern Dinwiddie County down to Sussex and Surry counties and up to eastern Henrico County, former Del. Lashrecse Aird of Petersburg is challenging first-term incumbent Sen. Joe Morrissey. Much of the focus here has been put on the issue of reproductive rights – Aird calls herself “100% pro-choice" in her campaign materials, while Morrissey cites his Catholic beliefs in opposing abortion but adds that is a decision solely between a woman and her doctor.

The winner of this primary will go up against Republican Eric Ditri of Prince George County in the November election. Ditri was the sole GOP candidate running.

In the 82^nd House District, nonprofit director Victor McKenzie Jr. and accountant Kimberly Pope Adams are vying for the Democratic nomination and the right to face first-term GOP incumbent Kim Taylor of Dinwiddie County in November. Taylor is unopposed for the Republican nomination.

Taylor defeated Aird two years ago for the then-63rd District seat. Since then, however, the district has been redrawn and now stretches from eastern Dinwiddie County eastward to Surry County, and picks up Petersburg and Prince George County.

Hot on the other side of the aisle, too

Speaking of Republicans, that party’s primary in the 12^th Senate District encompassing Colonial Heights and most of Chesterfield County has drawn the most GOP voters among the seven primaries statewide. Incumbent Amanda Chase is battling former Sen. Glen Sturtevant and Tina Ramirez in a three-way contest.

That contest has shined a spotlight on Chase’s apparent dwindling support among Republican leaders both in the district and across the state. An ardent supporter of former President Donald Trump, Chase was censured by the Senate in 2021 for her outspoken criticism of her Republican colleagues in the Senate and her ongoing battles with Senate GOP leadership.

Most of the Republican leaders have aligned with Sturtevant. That list includes Dels. Mike Cherry of Colonial Heights and Carrie Coyner of Chesterfield, as well as numerous local leaders in both localities.

Chase has dismissed those endorsements by saying she works for the voters, not the politicians. She has picked up some backing, though, from traditional allies such as the head of the pro-gun group Virginia Citizens Defense League.

More: Chase: 'Praying' for Morrissey, but does not want to see him censured like she was

The only Democrat running for the 12^th District is investment advisor Natan McKenzie of Midlothian.

Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is an award-winning journalist who covers breaking news, government and politics. Reach him at batkinson@progress-index.com or on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI.

This article originally appeared on The Progress-Index: Morrissey-Aird contest responsible for most early voting for primaries