Despite the multiple millions spent to get out the vote in two Virginia battlegrounds for Congress this year, the biggest turnout came in a part of the state where no one expected much of a contest: the 1st District, which stretches from the Northern Neck and Williamsburg to western Henrico and Chesterfield counties.
Candidates and backers spent a combined $16 million telling voters in the Virginia Beach-anchored 2nd District and Northern Virginia’s 7th to vote for — or more often against — one or another would-be member of Congress.
That’s seven times as much as Rep. Rob Wittman, R-1st, and Democratic challenger Leslie Mehta spent on everything from staff to flyers to digital ads, which came to a grand total of less than $50,000 in their race.
Read the full story in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.
