Cockburn Vs Riggleman In Virginia's 5th Congressional District

If you throw out last summer's "Bigfoot erotica" flap, truly eyebrow-raising moments during the campaign to represent Virginia's 5th Congressional District have been scant. Neither Republican Denver Riggleman nor Democrat Leslie Cockburn — political newbies, both — has said nor done anything to rile up the other side.

To most Democrats, Riggleman represents the party of Donald Trump. Period. To most Republicans, Cockburn is a former big-city journalist with a television star for a daughter. Both of those things are facts with obvious nuance and context that can be mined by both sides. So is the fact that Cockburn has a 46-45 lead in the Oct. 23 New York Times/Sienna poll of the race, according to RealClear Politics.

Subscribe

During an economic forum Monday night in Lynchburg that included the 6th District candidates, Republican Ben Cline and Democrat Jennifer Lewis, the biggest difference between Riggleman and Cockburn appeared to be over the Trump tax cuts, according to the Roanoke Times. She called the cuts, which are estimated to add $1.9 trillion to the deficit, "criminal.” He countered that, "Tax cuts do not cause deficits, spending does."

At their final one-one-debate Oct. 8 in Charlottesville, Cockburn and Riggleman argued about the latter's promise to work with the ultra-conservative House "Freedom Caucus" if elected, according to The Daily Progress. Pressed by Cockburn about its skepticism toward levels of damage caused by climate change, he said he's his own person. When the audience chuckled, he said, "I can be in the Freedom Caucus and I can vote in the way that I want to. It's OK to laugh. . . If you don't think I'm going to do that, then don't vote for me."

Not mentioned during the debate was "Bigfoot erotica," a sexy little topic late last July when Cockburn claimed Riggleman appeared to have an obsession about the mythical creature's sex life. These days Cockburn's campaign is more about linking Riggleman to Trump.

That was the case Oct. 14 at a rally in Charlottesville headlined by her daughter, actress Olivia Wilde, as reported by The Washington Post. Referring to Trump's border policy enforcement, Cockburn said that, "Every day, what comes from Washington is really debilitating and shocking — separating children from parents. We have to stand up for what is right." Riggleman, as pointed out by the Post, has "stressed the need for a strong border but has said family separations should be avoided."

Even so, the fact that polls show Cockburn not just being competitive but being viable is interesting for the 5th Congressional District, which includes the Manassas area, plus a heavily red swath of the state from the Charlottesville area to the North Carolina border. The Republican incumbent, Rep. Thomas Garrett, announced last May he would not run for re-election so he could be treated for alcoholism.

Cockburn has worked as a producer for CBS News "60 Minutes," a correspondent for PBS "Frontline," is a Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton, a writer and an author. She has won numerous journalism awards, and has covered issues from the financial collapse in 2007 to nuclear weapons, from radical jihad to the drug cartels. According to the Post, Trump's divisive presidential campaign fueled Cockburn's desire to enter politics.

Riggleman, a decorated veteran and businessman, is a Manassas native who now operates Silverback Distillery in Afton. He and his wife currently distill and distribute gin, vodka and whiskeys, according to his campaign website, although she is the driving force. He has also been CEO of several defense contracting companies. As pointed out by the Post, he had a short-lived bid for Virginia governor last year.

They're competing in a district that went for Trump by 11 points in 2016, yet Democratic rival Hillary Clinton won the state by 5.3 points. Richmond Times-Dispatch political analyst Jeff Schapiro believes Sen. Tim Kaine's race against controversial Republican Corey Stewart will help Cockburn, especially given the former governor's popularity.

Here's a look at the candidates' official stance on three key issues, as provided by their campaigns:

Healthcare

• Riggleman wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare: "The 5th District is home to the costliest health insurance in the nation. Denver pledges to change the way we view the system so that we can return to the market we desperately need."
• Cockburn wants the opposite: "Leslie wants to guard the rights of Virginians and preserve the best of the Affordable Care Act, ensuring that people with pre-existing conditions get care and that those low- income families who can now afford coverage will continue to receive that coverage."

Education

• Riggleman wants more oversight from the state and less reliance on federal guidelines: "Denver believes the federal government has little to no reason to be in your child’s education. He is committed to returning resources and oversight back to parents, localities, and states. He thinks it is asinine that we have forced a 'one-size fits all' model of testing on our public-school system."
• Cockburn is for free community college for all residents: "She will work hard to change the rules on student loans that are turning students, parents and grandparents, into debt slaves. Leslie will fight to reverse the bankruptcy laws inserted into legislation by bank lobbyists, forcing people, in many cases, to takes these debts to the grave. She will fight to reduce interest rates for all student loans. "

The Economy

• Riggleman is something of a deficit hawk and wants to eliminate what he sees as wasteful spending: "Denver hates the wasteful over-spending that corrupts Washington, D.C. The responsibility to live within our means has been long forgotten by politicians. Denver vows to cut redundant programs, eliminate wasteful spending, end corporate subsidies and implement aggressive financial audits."
• Cockburn sees jobs as the path to a stronger economy: "The 5th district needs jobs. The flight of tobacco and textiles has left a blighted economy in some areas, particularly Southside. However, Leslie believes, from her many interviews in the region, that the obvious solution is new energy. The skills required to install and maintain solar and geothermal energy are already present in every county."

Photos: Associated Press/Steve Helber; Charles Sykes/REX/Shutterstock