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Fifth Congressional District Caucus Favors Cockburn

Leslie Cockburn

Fifth District Democrats held a caucus in Albemarle County April 16th.  Officials reported a record turnout, with four candidates competing to run against Republican incumbent Tom Garrett.

More than 13-hundred Democrats showed up to cast a ballot for their preferred Congressional candidate, creating a range of problems at Albemarle County’s Monticello High.  At one point, traffic was backed up at the exit ramp from I-64, and this woman – who asked that we not use her name – said cars were parked everywhere.

“There were a number of people driving around looking for parking," she recalls. "I watched people drive away, kind of throwing their hands up in the air, and I personally know of five different people who gave up and left.”

Participants were told to be on time – that if they did not reach the door by 6:30 they would not be admitted.

“We rushed up a hill being told that there was one minute to go and we had to run, yet when we got to the top and got in line we were told, ‘Oh no. We’re waiting until seven o’clock,” she says.

One candidate, Ben Cullop, did not have the required 200 votes to be considered.  Leslie Cockburn won 18 delegates.  Andrew Sneathern got 13 and R.D. Huffstetler came away with 8.  Charlottesville Democrats will caucus on Saturday at Burley School, and all 250 delegates from across the district will assemble on May 5th in Farmville to choose the party’s Congressional candidate. 

Sandy Hausman is Radio IQ's Charlottesville Bureau Chief