VIRGINIA BEACH — Democrat Kimberly Anne Tucker will face state Del. Barry Knight, the Republican incumbent, in the 81st Virginia House District.
Unofficial returns show Tucker defeated Nancy Carothers in a Democratic primary on Tuesday, June 13, with more than two thirds of the vote.
The contest featured two people new to politics. Tucker, reached by phone late Tuesday, said she was excited and a bit in “awe” of the result.
“I’m excited about moving to the next phase, knocking on even more doors and talking to even more voters,” said Tucker, who, among other things, founded Indivisible 757, a political discussion group.
In Knight, Tucker will face an established Republican incumbent in a district that consistently supports the GOP in state and national elections, according to data compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project.
Tucker, a retired educator, has campaigned on access to healthcare, support for public education and increasing incentives for agricultural entrepreneurs and family farms, among other issues. She said she’ll campaign with a message of support for working people.
“At this point in time, with the federal landscape and the deadlock we’re experiencing, I think people are ready for a little less politics and a little more paying attention to people,” Tucker said.
Carothers, reached by telephone late Tuesday, said she will “100 percent” support Tucker’s candidacy in the general election.
“I hope everybody is going to mobilize and get her elected,” Carothers said.
In an election season that has seen controversy in another local race, the contest between Tucker and Carothers was marked by its lack of drama. They even helped each other get signatures for nominating petitions.
Carothers said she was glad to have run.
“You’ve got to pay attention and keep looking out for democracy,” she said.
The 81st House District includes parts of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake.
Overall, Tucker won 68.4 percent of the vote with 21 of 22 precincts reporting late Tuesday, according to analysis of state election data by the Virginia Public Access Project.
In Virginia Beach, Tucker took about 63.7 percent of the 1,666 votes cast, according to unofficial returns from the Virginia Beach Registrar’s Office.
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