Political newcomer seeks to unseat twin of Trump impeachment foe in swing Virginia district

By Fox News · Fox News

Douglas Ollivant decisively beat two fellow political newcomers in the Republican primary contest to take on incumbent Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., in November. Vindman, whose twin brother is a high-profile foe of President Donald Trump, currently represents Virginia's 7th Congressional district, a seat previously held by the state's Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger . The Republican primary race between Ollivant, Rick Smithers and Philip Harding was unique in that none of the candidates had held elected office before, though two have government experience. The lack of reliable polling made it difficult to foretell who would emerge triumphant — but Ollivant ran away with victory, earning 56.6% of the vote compared to Harding's 30.7% and Smithers' 12.8%. THE BALLOT BOX SHOWDOWNS THIS MONTH THAT YOU NEED TO WATCH Ollivant is a retired Army officer who served as the National Security Council director for Iraq during the George W. Bush administration. He worked as a national security analyst and consultant after that. Smithers is a pastor and construction business owner who branded himself as the biggest outsider in the race. Harding is a businessman with a bachelor's degree from Harvard University. He also earned his graduate degree from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. All three candidates have generally aligned themselves with Donald Trump, though the president did not endorse anyone in the race. FOX NEWS POWER RANKINGS: DEMOCRATS LEAD IN THE HOUSE, BUT REDISTRICTING KEEPS THE GOP IN THE GAME According to FEC data, Ollivant had the cash advantage, raising $251,134. Harding raised $125,916 before primary Election Day, and there was no reported fundraising data for Smithers. Virginia's 7th Congressional District, located in the northeastern part of the state and encompassing Culpeper and Fredericksburg east into Stafford, Spotsylvania, Caroline and parts of Prince William County, is considered a true swing state. Vindman, who ran unopposed this time around, w…