Douglas Ollivant has won the Republican primary in Virginia's 7th Congressional District, setting up a November contest against incumbent Rep. Eugene Vindman.
Ollivant, a political newcomer and retired Army officer, secured 56.6% of the vote in Tuesday's primary, decisively beating fellow Republican candidates Philip Harding and Rick Smithers. Harding received 30.7% of the vote, while Smithers garnered 12.8%. Ollivant previously served as the National Security Council director for Iraq during the George W. Bush administration and later worked as a national security analyst and consultant.
The 7th Congressional District, located in northeastern Virginia and encompassing areas including Culpeper and Fredericksburg, is considered a swing district. Rep. Vindman won the seat, previously held by Gov. Abigail Spanberger, by a narrow three-point margin.
Vindman, a Democrat, ran unopposed in his primary. He is the twin brother of Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a former National Security Council official who testified against former President Donald Trump during his first impeachment proceedings in 2019. Alexander Vindman's testimony focused on a phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in which Trump allegedly sought investigations into the Biden family in exchange for military aid.
Both Alexander and Eugene Vindman were removed from the National Security Council following the impeachment proceedings. Alexander Vindman has since become a vocal critic of Trump.
Before Tuesday's primary, none of the Republican candidates had held elected office. Ollivant led in fundraising, reporting $251,134 in contributions. Harding raised $125,916, with no reported fundraising data for Smithers.
Republicans are targeting the 7th District as a potential pickup in their efforts to regain control of Congress. The GOP faces a challenging electoral landscape, particularly in a midterm election year when the party holding the presidency typically experiences losses.