Rep. Denver Riggleman (R-VA) is only midway through his first term in office, but he’s already in the fight of his political life. Jewish Insider’s Marc Rod spoke with Riggleman, his primary challenger — Campbell County Supervisor Bob Good — and other experts about the internal GOP battle shaping up in Virginia’s mammoth 5th congressional district. 

Background: The Virginia congressman is an unconventional politician in an unconventional district. An Air Force veteran, Riggleman and his wife opened a whiskey distillery in 2014. In 2016, he launched his first unsuccessful bid for public office, dropping out of Virginia’s gubernatorial primary only months after he entered the race. A year later, he was selected from among a crowded field by the district’s Republican Committee to run to replace outgoing Rep. Tom Garrett (R-VA), going on to win the general election in November against Leslie Cockburn 53-47%.

Growing censure: Good is running to Riggleman’s right at a time when the congressman is facing mounting pressure from within the party. The Rappahannock County Republican Party censured Riggleman last September for “abandoning party principles,” citing votes on fiscal spending and immigration. In addition, Riggleman was criticized by some in his district for officiating the gay wedding of two former campaign volunteers. The Cumberland County Republican party passed a vote of no confidence over his role at the wedding and Riggleman has claimed the Rappahannock County censure vote was actually about the wedding as well.

Battle: Riggleman is accusing local Virginia Republican officials of colluding with Good to deny him the party’s nomination in his bid for re-election. Republican officials in the district are holding a nominating convention instead of a traditional primary, where only pre-registered delegates can vote and all voting takes place at a single location. Riggleman lambasted the convention process as corrupt and part of a rigged system designed to boost the committee’s preferred candidate. “They [hold conventions] to try to limit the amount of voters,” he told JI. “If they have a candidate they can't control or somebody who they don't think is far-right enough, they’ll try to run conventions to get that person out.” 

Community support: Riggleman’s position on Israel — as well as on other foreign policy and national security issues — has made him popular in the Jewish community. “He’s one of our favorites and one of our top priorities right now,” Republican Jewish Coalition executive director Matt Brooks told JI. “He’s been a terrific leader and an outspoken supporter of the issues we care about.” Pro-Israel America told JI it is also planning to announce its endorsement of Riggleman. The freshman congressman said he first “fell in love with Israel” when he visited in the mid-90s while serving in the U.S. military. “It’s hard not to support Israel when you see the people, when you understand the culture.”

Fighting Covid: As Riggleman fights for his political future, his family has converted their distillery’s operations to focus on producing hand sanitizer. The distillery has distributed more than 400,000 oz. of the antibacterial solution to his community in recent weeks. “Just the other day, I went to the University of Virginia hospital, and there was our sanitizer at UVA hospital, because they had run out,” he said. “I think that’s what makes me feel the best, is when you serve others.”

Read the full feature here.