LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Eleven days after the election on November 5, Loudoun County voters were back at the polls Saturday for a firehouse primary to decide the nominees for a special election early next year.
Six Democrats and six Republicans are vying for Virginia’s Senate seat in the 32nd district, previously held by Democrat Suhas Subramanyam who vacated the seat when he won the election to the U.S. House of Representatives for Virginia's 10th congressional district.
At one of five Democratic polling sites, voters and candidates know just what’s at stake.
“It’s really important, because it could decide who has control in the Senate, but I think it's also important to see that there are three women running in this race," said Democratic candidate Hurunnessa Fariad. "That in itself is, it's incredible and remarkable to see people from the immigrant community come out and run for positions that normally were not meant for us or not encouraged for our communities to run in.”
“I'm very concerned about some of the Medicare, for social security, for rent, for food, for health care. I could go on and on," said Democratic voter Rita Poston. "Those are the things that are so important.”
Republicans showed up to two polling places open Saturday and hope their vote can help turn Virginia’s senate red.
“We are trying to switch the balance of power to what we like to what we prefer, which is, you know, save families, save schools and all of that stuff," said Republican voter Saul Sanchez.
“Save children," said Republican voter Sarai Sanchez. "I mean, life from the womb to the tomb.”
“People have been coming up to me and they're like, let's lower taxes, let's lower taxes," said Republican candidate Tumay Harding. "We're done with it. Just living costs, gas housing, the price of water. We're getting increase upon increase. It's just, things have got to change, and we could do it when we flip the Senate.”
The general election is set for January 7.