Tazewell County’s Hackworth wins GOP nod in 38th Senate District; to face Radford’s Buchwald

Travis Hackworth of Tazewell County has won the Republican nomination for Virginia Senate in the 38th District.

Placing first in a six-candidate field, Hackworth, who currently represents the Northwest District on the Tazewell County Board of Supervisors, will be the Republican nominee in the March 23 Special Election to fill the vacancy caused by the passing New Year’s Day of Sen. Ben Chaffin.

Hackworth collected 1,932 votes across the district in a “firehouse primary” held Thursday, easily outdistancing Chad Dotson (1,313) and Elijah Leonard of Russell County (1,200).

Tamara Neo of Tazewell County received 736 votes, Jony Baker of Dickenson County got 272 and Kimberly Lowe of Tazewell County received 32.

Voters in Pulaski and Montgomery County and the City of Radford voted at the New River Valley Fairgrounds.

Dotson, a Pulaski County native who is a law professor at the Appalachia School of Law and a former circuit court judge, garnered the most votes cast at the fairgrounds. He got 277 from Pulaski County voters and 80 from Radford voters. No votes were cast from Montgomery County.

The 38th Senatorial District is comprised of Bland, Buchanan, Dickenson, Pulaski, Russell and Tazewell counties, the cities of Norton and Radford, and portions of Montgomery, Smith and Wise counties.

Laurie Buchwald, a family/women’s health nurse practitioner from Radford will be the Democratic Party’s candidate in the March election.

Patriot Staff Report