Republican state Sen. John McGuire (R–Goochland) and Democrat Gloria Witt met Thursday night at Hampden-Sydney College, just south of Farmville, for the only debate in the race for Virginia’s 5th Congressional District.
Questions ranged from whether the candidates would accept election results to how to address COVID-19.
The first half-hour of the debate centered on issues like the economy, energy and education — mainstream topics that occasionally evoked passion from a crowd of about 100 attendees. That changed when Witt — who worked in the energy industry and served as president of the Amherst County NAACP — was asked whether she’d accept the outcome of the upcoming election.
Witt promised to support election results and pivoted to McGuire’s presence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. “He was there at the Capitol,” she said. “I don't know what his purpose was, but he was definitely on the grounds.”
“Using my constitutional rights to be heard, there’s nothing wrong with that,” McGuire responded. “The Democrats have weaponized that for political purposes, and it's just a terrible thing about the division in our country.”
McGuire, who unseated Rep. Bob Good in the Republican primary, added that the people at the Capitol had "a right to be heard."
"Remember, Hillary Clinton challenged her election," he said. "There is nothing wrong with challenging irregularities until you're satisfied."
He also stopped short of saying he’d accept election results: “Let's see what the elections are, and if it's fair, it's fair, and I'll totally support that.”
In June 2022, McGuire publicized a screening of 2000 Mules, a film centered on debunked claims about the 2020 election.
During his responses, McGuire also appeared to doubt the legitimacy of the COVID-19 pandemic and connected it to early voting.
“Some people call it the ‘plandemic,’” he told the crowd. “Oh, listen up: Under the guise of the pandemic or the ‘plandemic,’ they came up with ‘election season’ in Virginia — not Election Day, but 45 days.”
Immigration, the economy and the environment were also issues the candidates debated.
The 5th Congressional District occupies a wide swath of Southside Virginia, from Danville to just east of Interstate 85 near South Hill, and stretches north to parts of Albemarle and Hanover counties.
The district is currently represented by Good, the former head of the House Freedom Caucus, and is considered Republican territory. Good lost the Republican nomination to McGuire by a razor-thin margin, triggering a recount and ensuing court battle.
Election Day is Nov. 5.
