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Virginia democrats defend House incumbents before eyes turn to fall

FILE - In this Friday Feb. 28, 2020, file photo, Del. Alfonzo Lopez, D-Arlington, left, waves a white flag as Del. Mark Sickles, D-Fairfax, explains another bill during the House session at the Capitol in Richmond, Va. Democrats who have transformed Virginia at whiplash speed over the past two years will be defending their full control of the statehouse in fall 2021. (AP Photo/Steve Helber, File) (Steve Helber, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Democrats who have transformed Virginia at whiplash speed over the past two years will be defending their full control of the statehouse this fall.

But first, they are trying to get an usually high number of House incumbents on the other side of primary challenges. Fourteen House Democrats are spending and organizing against challenges from their own party this year, compared with only three Republican incumbents.

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According to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project, the number of Democratic primary challengers is far higher this year than any other since at least 1999. Democratic officials say they’re confident most, if not all, incumbents will hang on.