Virginia Rep. Randy Forbes lost in the Republican primary in his bid for re-election to the US House.
Forbes ran on his position as chairman of the House Armed Services subcommittee that oversees the Navy and Marine Corps, in a district that contained the world’s largest naval base, in Norfolk.
State delegate Scott Taylor, a former Navy SEAL, defeated Forbes.
Court-ordered redistricting made his district lean more toward Democrats, so Forbes moved districts, attempting to win a spot in Virginia's 2nd District, in which Rep. Scott Rigell was retiring, according to
The Hill.
A district court in Virginia ordered redistricting after it ruled that Virginia’s Republican-led legislature redrew congressional lines to favor Republicans by placing black voters in Democratic Rep. Bobby Scott's region.
"We have had a vision for this region, for rebuilding our military, and for defending religious liberty, and while perhaps not embraced by voters tonight, we hope nonetheless will be the path forward for our nation and our region," Forbes said after his defeat, according to The Hill.
Taylor heads to the general election Nov. 8 to face Democrat Shaun Brown, a Newport News businesswoman. Taylor said he would be touring his region and calling on support from all voters.
"We’re going to be going to white events and brown events and black events and gay and straight events, everywhere talking about we are going to fix Washington," Taylor said, according to the
Virginian-Pilot.
Forbes is the second Republican in the House to lose in the primary in this election cycle, after Renee Ellmers lost in North Carolina.
Forbes' defeat ends his 15-year career in the House of Representatives, according to the Virginian-Pilot.
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