Dec. 12 (UPI) — Virginia will hold a special election on Feb. 21 to fill the seat that has been vacant since the November death of Rep. Donald McEachin, D-Va.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-Va., on Monday announced the date for the special election. The last day to file as a candidate to run in the election is Dec. 23.
McEachin, who represented Virginia’s 4th Congressional District, died on Nov. 28 after a battle with colorectal cancer, at age 61.
The champion of climate-related issues was first elected to Congress in 2016 and overwhelmingly won re-election to a fourth term earlier in November.
Virginia’s 4th Congressional District stretches from Richmond to the North Carolina border, and is considered heavily Democratic.
Candidates have already begun registering to run for the right to replace McEachin.
Delegate Lamont Bagby, 45, announced his candidacy at a Monday news conference in Henrico County, Va.
State Sen. Jennifer McClellan, a fellow Democrat has also filed paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission to run for the seat.
Bagby serves as the chair of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus, while McLellan serves as vice chair.
McEachin was born in Nuremberg, Germany, and served in both chambers of Virginia’s legislature before he was elected to the House in 2016.
