GOP urges Republicans in Fairfax and Loudoun counties to vote in Democratic primary

On the eve of Virginia’s primaries, an unprecedented push in two counties encourages Republicans to vote for specific candidates in Democratic races.

Virginia voters don’t register by party, so anyone can vote in these open primaries, regardless of whether they consider themselves Democrat, Republican or independent.

A few days ago, Loudoun County’s Republican Committee began sending messages asking GOP voters to go to the polls and cast ballots for a list of four candidates. 

“The Republican Committee in Loudoun Co is explicitly asking Republican voters to come vote in our Democratic primary for a slate of candidates that the Republican Committee have endorsed, Loudoun County Democratic Party Chairman Avram Fechter said. “I’ve never seen that anywhere in modern American political history.”

One focus of the GOP push in Loudoun County is defeating incumbent Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj. They are asking party members to vote for Democratic challenger Elizabeth Lancaster.

In the three General Assembly contests, Republicans have a different motivation. 

“It’s a strategy designed to weaken the Democratic party, nominating less competitive candidates for the general election can only help Republicans,” University of Mary Washington political analyst Stephen Farnsworth said.

In Fairfax County, Republicans also are seeking to defeat an incumbent commonwealth’s attorney, Steve Descano, critical of his criminal justice reform platform. He’s being challenged by Democrat Ed Nuttall.

The move meant a major policy change. Fairfax Republican Committee rules barred members from voting in Democratic primaries, but Republican Supervisor Pat Herrity convinced party leaders to make an exception.

“This race was just too important, too critical to public safety in Fairfax County, so I asked the party to waive that requirement, and the party did waive that requirement for this one race,” he said. 

There is no Republican candidate in Fairfax County, so whoever wins the Democratic primary is likely to become the next commonwealth’s attorney. 

Fechter said he hopes what he calls GOP meddling might inspire even more Democrats go to the polls Tuesday.

“We’re urging every Democrat that lives in Loudoun County to come out and vote in the primary so that Democrats actually pick the Democratic nominee,” he said.

Political analysts say in low-turnout primaries, these GOP pushes could have an impact on the outcome.