BLACKSBURG, Va. – Del. Chris Hurst is speaking out after he was pulled over with his girlfriend in the car allegedly flipping campaign signs the night before Election Day.
Hurst, the democratic 12th District incumbent, was pulled over on Monday night by a Radford City Sheriff’s deputy after a passenger who was later identified as his girlfriend, Emily Frentress, was allegedly seen flipping campaign signs at a polling location.
After attempting to speak with Hurst or someone from his campaign throughout the day Tuesday, Hurst addressed the media at his watch party around 11 p.m. on Election Day.
[Del. Chris Hurst pulled over after passenger allegedly takes campaign signs]
When asked about the sign flipping, Hurst referred to the incident as a prank and said that no signs were taken. Hurst also said the couple returned to the polling location at the request of authorities and flipped the signs back.
“We flipped over a couple of yard signs, took them, put them upside down and put them right side up. That’s what we did,” Hurst told 10 News. When asked whose signs he flipped over, he said the signs belonged to Republican candidates. 10 News reporter Sydney Jaxtheimer asked if any of the signs belonged to Hurst’s opponent, Jason Ballard, Hurst said: “I think one Jason Ballard sign and one Youngkin sign.”
The delegate was also cited for driving with a suspended license and given a “driving while suspended notification” by a deputy.
Hurst told 10 News that his license was suspended due to an insurance lapse, and that he was not aware that his license was suspended until he was pulled over Monday night.
While addressing his supporters at his watch party, Hurst said that he is not giving up and there are still too many votes left to call the race.