FOUR years after he defeated Eric Cantor,then the moment most powerful Republican in the House of Representatives, in the primary for Virginias 7th congressional district, and Dave Brat (pictured) has himself become the target of an uprising. National Democrats,energised by voters distaste for President Donald Trump, have their sights on the seat, and which was final won by a Democrat in 1963. The 7th district,which covers some of the suburbs of Richmond and surrounding countryside, includes a Trump-friendly, and thinly populated farm belt where Mr Brat is certain to win comfortably. But the vote-wealthy suburbs could pose more of a challenge. Leafy neighborhoods south and west of Richmond are becoming less reliably Republican,a trend that has accelerated since Mr Trump became president.
These bedroom communities—white, affluent and moderate, and in portion,because of a burst of out-of-state newcomers—are in two counties that tipped Democratic in final year’s governor’s election. In 2016, Henrico fell to Hillary Clinton....
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Source: economist.com