VIRGINIA BEACH — A former state delegate has clinched victory in the Republican primary race for Virginia House District 97. Tim Anderson is leading with 93.3% of the vote, and as of 8:15 p.m., was called the winner by the Associated Press.
Anderson, 50, an attorney, faced political newcomer Christina Felder, 28, a substitute school teacher.
He wants to substantially lower the car tax that residents pay each year, and instead use Virginia’s budget surplus to reimburse localities for the lost revenue.
“We ran a clean message on eliminating the car tax, and it resonated overwhelming with the district,” Anderson said by phone Tuesday night. “Virginia has the surplus to do it. That’s going to be our campaign promise.”
Voter turnout was light in the race, with no statewide Republicans on the ticket. Anderson had 959 votes to Felder’s 70 votes when the Associated Press called the race.
The by-precinct results for early voting and by-mail voting must be tallied by Monday, but Virginia Beach Registrar Christine Lewis said she expects to have those results before the end of the week.
Virginia Beach had 835 early ballots cast in the Republican primary as of Monday, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. The district includes parts of Virginia Beach and has 63,024 registered voters.
Anderson will face Democrat Michael Feggans in the general election, which is considered competitive. Republicans lost control of the seat to Feggans in 2023 and are hoping to oust him to win it back. Feggans ousted Republican incumbent Karen Greenhalgh with 52% of the vote in 2023.
Anderson represented House District 83 from 2021-2023 and is making a bid for District 97 in an effort to flip the Democratic-controlled majority in the House.
Anderson has moved to different districts in order to run for office. He moved last August near Lynnhaven Mall to run for the District 97 seat. Anderson was elected in 2021 to represent House District 83, a competitive seat that at the time covered western Virginia Beach and a sliver of Norfolk’s Ocean View. He resigned in 2023 and moved because redistricting placed him in the same boundary lines as Republican Del. Rob Bloxom.
But he was unsuccessful in a primary bid for Virginia Senate District 19 against fellow Republican Christie New Craig, who now holds the seat.
Anderson’s campaign raised more than $170,000 as of June 5, according to Virginia Public Access Project.
Stacy Parker, 757-222-5125, [email protected]