Rob Wittman Wins G.O.P. Nomination In 1st Congressional District

Press Release

Rob Wittman Wins G.O.P. Nomination In 1st Congressional District

Del. Rob Wittman (R., 99th) won the 1st Congressional District Republican nomination late Saturday night at a GOP convention called to choose a candidate for a Dec. 11 special election.

Wittman's victory over a field of 10 other candidates came on the 6th ballot at Caroline County High School, in Milford, where more than 1,000 Republican delegates gathered to choose a nominee to succeed the late Rep. Jo Ann Davis (R., Va.), who died Oct. 6 after a long battle with breast cancer. The sprawling 1st District stretches from Newport News in the south to Prince William County in Northern Virginia.

"Folks caught on to our message," Wittman said. "We're getting back to the basics of good government."

In last week's general election, Wittman, of Montross, was elected without Democrat opposition to another term in the Virginia House of Delegates. He is a former member of the Montross town council, where he also served as mayor, and is a former Westmoreland County supervisor and County Board chairman.

Wittman steadily gained delegate votes in ballot after ballot at Saturday's nominating convention as other candidates were forced out of competition for the nomination. Wittman's win came when Rep. Davis' widower, Chuck, and Sherwood Bowditch, former Gloucester County Republican chairman, dropped out after the 5th ballot and threw their support to him. The other remaining candidate, Williamsburg businessman Paul Jost, conceded the nomination to Wittman after 6th ballot votes were cast but before they were reported to the convention floor.

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