Dave Brat made history when he pulled off one of the greatest upsets in the history of elections in 2014.
Backed by a tidal wave of grassroots conservatives, Brat was sent to D.C. to “Drain the Swamp” before it was cool.
But now, the conservative grassroots champion just made an announcement that could flip the 2020 election on its head in Virginia.
Dave Brat made history in 2014 with his grassroots campaign defeating then-House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in a stunning primary upset.
Now, Brat has publicly announced his endorsement of Delegate Nick Freitas in the race to win back his seat against Democrat Abigail Spanberger this November.
Brat has historically stayed clear of endorsing in Republican nomination contests, refusing to back any GOP primary or convention candidate in the 2016, 2017, or 2018 election cycles.
However, Brat writes in his endorsement letter: “As I look at the battles in front of us in 2020 with my time in elected office behind me, I have decided that there is no more important time to break that tradition in order to give my full and unconditional endorsement to Nick Freitas.”
“To beat Abigail Spanberger, we need a candidate that is a proven conservative leader, can articulate the conservative message, and has what it takes to overcome the millions of dollars that will pour into our district from billionaires like Michael Bloomberg as they try to save the congressional seat that they bought in 2018,” Brat adds.
Spanberger, who only won against Brat two years ago by roughly 5,000 votes — just a two percent margin — is seeking re-election this November in a much less favorable climate for Virginia Democrats than the so-called “blue wave” in 2018.
Brat’s endorsement comes at a time when the race in the 7th District is receiving growing national attention. The Cook Political Report, a major national elections forecaster, just moved the 7th District from “Leans Democrat” to “Tossup” in early March, citing Freitas’ campaign as the sole reason for the change.
“Not long ago, it looked like Spanberger was opening up an advantage. Last fall, the GOP field looked weak. But the entry of Iraq veteran and GOP state Del. Nick Freitas has complicated matters,” writes Cook Political.
For his part, Brat agrees with the assessment, writing: “Nick Freitas is unshakable in his conservative beliefs, has proven that he has the organization and support needed to win, and is a leading voice in the conservative movement in Virginia with a platform and reach that few Republicans in the country can match.”
Republicans will be selecting their 7th District nominee against Spanberger on April 25th at the Arthur Ashe Center in Richmond.
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