The Fifth Congressional District strongly favors Republicans, but former Congressman Denver Riggleman thinks it could go to Tom Perriello, a Democrat who held the seat for two years.
“You never know what Virginia is going to do," Riggleman observes. "It’s very independent-minded. I almost think the R and D is passe when it comes to this race. When you just look at experience, you look at integrity, you look at somebody who’s intelligent, that really leans to Tom.”
He joked that a majority in the district might hold intelligence against candidates.
“It did, because I lost.”
Now the owner of the Silverback Distillery in Afton, Riggleman attacked incumbent Republican John McGuire for his loyalty to President Trump.
“When I’m talking to people here at my distillery, anecdotally, they say, ‘We just don’t think Trump knows what he’s doing,’ and I think that is starting to reverberate with people," Riggleman says.
He also accused McGuire of taking dark money for his campaign – something Perriello says he doesn’t do.
“I don’t take any of that lobbyist money or corporate PAC money. I’m focused on economic relief for everyday folks and middle -class families and getting these costs down by ending this war," Perriello says. "We’re the coalition for everyone with common sense at this point.”
Riggleman left the Republican party after officiating at a gay wedding and losing his seat in Congress, but he says he has not given up on politics and might someday run for Governor of Virginia.
Requests to the McGuire campaign for an interview were not returned.
