This article will be updated.
Republican incumbent Bob Good defeated Democratic nominee Josh Throneburg in the race for Virginia's fifth district for the House of Representatives seat. The race was called by the Associated Press at 9:04 p.m. and as of midnight, Good received 57.9 percent of the vote and Throneburg received 42.1 percent of the vote, with 92 percent of precincts reporting.
“I would like to thank the voters of the 5th district for giving me the honor of continuing to represent you in Congress,” Good said in a statement released Tuesday. “It has been one of the greatest privileges of my life to serve as your representative these past two years, and I am truly grateful for your continued support.”
The fifth congressional district includes parts of Albemarle County and Charlottesville as well as Louisa, Amherst and Fluvanna.
Good defeated Dr. Cameron Webb, University alumnus and professor of medicine, with 52.4 percent of the vote in the 2020 election. According to Good’s campaign statement, he decided to run for reelection to push back against illegal immigration, “leftist indoctrination” in schools and “reckless” spending by Democrats in office.
In 2021, Good was one of 147 Republicans who voted to reject election results in Arizona and Pennsylvania after the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection, and has previously cast doubt on the legitimacy of the 2020 election. Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics and professor of politics, has characterized Good as one of the most conservative members of Congress.
Throneburg ran on a platform that included combating the climate crisis, reinvesting in Virginia towns and addressing prejudicial systemic issues as his top priorities.
“I will pray for Bob Good, and pray that he can rise to the challenge of being a representative who helps these people build the world they seek,” Throneburg said in a statement conceding the race.
Polls opened at 6 a.m. and closed at 7 p.m. across the state. Students living on and around Grounds voted at a variety of locations, including Slaughter Recreation Center, Alumni Hall and Venable Elementary.
Student Council offered free rides to the polls for students through Charlottesville Yellow Cab Services for early voting and on Election Day itself. Other student organizations also engaged in get-out-the-vote efforts in the days leading up to the election, such as voter registration drives and phone banking.
This year also marked the first time the University canceled classes for all undergraduate students on Election Day in an effort to remove barriers that might otherwise prevent students from voting. The decision was made after Student Council advocated for easier access to voting for students.
This year’s election was also the first time Virginia has allowed same-day voter registration, allowing voters to either register for the first time or change their registration location on the spot at any polling place. Same-day voter registration was championed by the Democratic Party in 2020 as part of a sweeping set of reforms.
Fourth-year Architecture student Teo Blazquez said he forgot to change his voting registration to Charlottesville before the deadline, and the new same-day voter registration law allowed him to still be able to vote.
“I think what changed a lot this year was that you can register on the same day that you vote,” Blazquez said. “Also having no school I think helped a lot too.”
Carissa Kochan, president of University Democrats and third-year Batten student, said Virginia Democrats have continued to advocate for voter accessibility expansion.
“Our expectations for turnout in majority-student precincts were exceeded today,” Kochan said. “Young voters were important today and will be especially important as we turn our attention to the 2023 election cycle.”
College Republicans did not respond to a request for comment.
Second-year College student Avery O’Kane said the University provides its students with resources that help students gain access to voting, which makes it easy to participate in elections.
“I think it’s more a matter of effort than accessibility, at least at this school,” O’Kane said.
First-year students said they were excited to be able to participate in the electoral process.
“I’m a first-time voter, so I wanted to come out here and make sure I was doing my part, no matter how small it is,” First-year College student Carson Diggs said.
At Venable Elementary, community members Luciano Mateo and George Johnson volunteered for Good’s campaign. The pair listed border control and Second Amendment rights as the issues they viewed as most important this year.
“Every citizen sort of has this civic duty as an American, so no matter what side you go on, I think it’s important to practice that because we are privileged to be Americans at the end of the day,” Johnson said.
Throneburg was supported by community members Cathryn McCue and Christa Bennett, who said climate change and women’s reproductive rights were most important to them.
“I’ve had … a better feeling about being a part of a democracy this year than I ever have had before when I just show up to vote,” McCue said.
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