If President Biden wins the Virginia popular vote in November – which at this point seems likely, albeit not guaranteed – David Leichtman will cast the only ballot that really counts from Virginia’s 8th Congressional District.
By a single vote, Leichtman was selected the party’s presidential elector at the 8th District Democratic Convention, held May 18 in Alexandria.
Leichtman received 79 votes to 78 for Rose Chu, with four other candidates splitting the remainder. A total of 169 valid votes were cast.
Also at the convention, Rose Fabia, Jessica Nichols, Maureen Coffey and Carole Lieber were selected female delegates to the Democratic National Convention, while Matthew Savage, Praveendharan Meyyan, Bryan Coleman and Cisco Minthorn were chosen male delegates. Holly Hazard was elected as an alternate.
Should Republicans win the popular vote in the 8th District, Michael Maibach will cast the 8th District’s vote during a gathering of Virginia’s presidential electors in December in Richmond. Maibach in April was chosen the GOP elector.
The 8th Congressional District includes all of Arlington and the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church, plus a portion of Fairfax County.
Like most states, Virginia is a winner-take-all venue when it comes to distribution of its 13 electoral votes (two statewide plus one for each of the 11 congressional districts). Democrats have won the commonwealth’s popular vote the last four elections, with Republicans winning it 13 of 14 times between 1952 and 2008.
Four years ago, Democratic activist and retired journalist Cragg Hines of Arlington was the 8th District’s presidential elector, casting his vote for Joe Biden. Hines died late last year.
