NOTE: My name is Donald Braden. This diary was originally posted on my blog at The Full Slate Project.
Democrats have no candidate contesting District 3 as yet this fall. The first filing deadline has passed, but the party can still place candidates on the ballot through the next deadline of June 13th. Republican Will Morefield currently holds this post. The Republican was able to secure 14,325 in this uncontested district the last cycle. That is decent support for a race not contested since 2013. Even so, it is important Democrats try and field a candidate in every district.
Here is why.
The best way, for a political party, to connect with voters is to ask for their vote. Last cycle, Democrats did not contest 44 out 100 House of Delegates seat in Virginia. Those 44 seats represent roughly 3,520,000 Virginians. It does not matter your view on the issues, if a party does not run candidates in your district, it is less likely you will support that party consistently. If Democrats do not ask for these votes, the message to Virginians living in these mostly rural districts is the Democratic Party is not interested in their concerns.
This issue is not unique to Virginia either. In the last cycle, Democrats did not compete in 1,479 state legislative races nationwide. The districts we did not compete in represent more that 117,000,000 people. We often ask how people in "red America" can so consistently vote against their interests.
They are not voting against their interests at all; they are simply voting for those showing an interest in them.
With that in mind, let's turn our attention to a rural red district in Virginia.
DISTRICT 3 FAST FACTS
Residents = 80,010
Active Registered Voters = 46,455
Percent Registered = 58%
Total Vote in Last Race = 14,444
Participation Rate = 31%
Total Vote for Republican = 14,325
Total Vote for Democrat = 0
Total Vote Other = 119
Localities = Bland, Buchanan, Russell and Tazewell Counties
District 3 has a total of 51 precincts with 24 in Tazewell County, 17 in Buchanan County, 7 in Bland County, and 3 in Russell County. The participation rate in the area is about the norm for odd year elections but could mean there is some real opportunity to be found as well.
Here is the share of Active Voters by Locality: