ALAN SUDERMAN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman has defeated challenger Anthony Riedel in the 1st District Republican primary.

Early returns Tuesday showed Wittman with a wide lead over his challenger.

Wittman is a former field director for the Virginia Health Department’s Division of Shellfish Sanitation and member of the state House of Delegates. He was first elected to Congress in 2007. His campaign had more than $1 million on hand, according to the most recent campaign finance reports.

Riedel is the spokesman for the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation and has never held public office. Riedel raised about $23,000. During the campaign, he criticized Wittman for not being conservative enough.

Wittman will face Democrat Norm Mosher, who previously served on Irvington’s town council in the general election. Libertarian Xavian Draper also signaled his intent to run.

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