Virginia's 7th Congressional District race remains too close to call • Virginia Mercury

Updated Nov. 6 at 3:40 a.m.

The voters of the 7th Congressional district proved just how tight the contest is, by keeping the race between Eugene Vindman and Derrick Anderson too close to call.

About 99% of votes had been cast, with Vindman and Anderson earning about 51% and 49% of the vote, respectively, but the Associated Press did not declare a winner by 3:40 a.m. on  Wednesday.

“In my 25 years of military service, and when we were jumping out of airplanes, it didn’t matter to me the color creed, background, race, or party affiliation of the person next to me,” said Vindman in a statement declaring victory, despite the uncertainty of the outcome. “What mattered was getting the mission done. That’s the type of service I am going to take to Washington as the next Congressman from Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.”

“We knew this was going to be a tight race, folks,” Anderson said in a video posted on his X account at 10:42 p.m., before later posting the race was “too close to call.”

“We’re going to keep looking, we’re going to keep watching,” Anderson said. “I just ask y’all give us a little more time and we’re going to get through this thing.”

The seat went up for grabs after incumbent Abigail Spanberger, a Democrat, announced she would run for governor. In 2021, the year before voters in the 7th elected Spanberger, more of the district voted for Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin than his Democratic opponent former Gov. Terry McAuliffe.

Spanberger, in a statement Tuesday, congratulated Vindman on a “well-earned victory,” adding he will, “bring the values, work ethic, and commitment to public service that the Seventh District deserves.”

Though the men hold similar backgrounds through their military service, the race between Vindman and Anderson largely focused on their policy differences.

Vindman voiced strong support for protecting reproductive health rights, easing Virginians’ economic pain by continuing to lower medication costs, and strengthening the nation’s borders.

Anderson supported reducing taxes and immigration reform in his campaign, and said abortion rights are best left up to states. He mirrored several of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s policy stances.

We will update this story with the race outcome as soon as it is confirmed.