Retired Navy Captain Hung Cao easily secured the Republican U.S. Senate nomination in Virginia Tuesday night, earning the right to face off against Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) in a critical state where Donald Trump runs neck-and-neck with President Joe Biden.
Cao outpaced four other challengers, with several outlets calling the race within twenty minutes of its 7:00 p.m. EST close.
With some 25% of the expected vote in, Cao led the way with around 75% of reported votes.
Cao thanked his supporters after his victory was announced, tying his campaign directly to a repudiation of Biden’s border policies.
“For our win to coincide with the date of Joe Biden’s amnesty for illegal immigrants highlights the stakes of this November’s election,” Cao posted on X. “For women like Laken Riley and Rachel Morin, the Biden-Kaine open border policy was literally a matter of life and death.
Cao contrasted his serving in the Navy to Kaine’s long resumé as a career politician.
“I spent twenty-five years in the Navy, while Tim Kaine spent thirty years in elected office,” he posted. “The taxpayers signed the front of our paychecks for the same amount of time.
“The difference is this: Tim Kaine got rich, and I got scars.”
Donald Trump endorsed Cao in May, saying on Truth Social Cao “will be a tireless fighter to stop Inflation, grow our Economy, secure our Border, strongly support our Incredible Military/Vets, and defend our always under siege Second Amendment.”
Trump’s coveted endorsement sealed the election for Cao.
Kaine, the former chairman of the Democrat National Committee and Hillary Clinton’s running mate in their unsuccessful bid for the presidency in 2016, is certain to run a well-financed campaign.
“Kaine has already placed $2 million in television advertising for the fall, where he will pollute the airwaves with lies about me, but also about him,” Cao said.
Trump may place a special emphasis on the race given Cao is facing off against Trump’s 2016 foe in a state appearing within Trump’s grasp.
Biden and Trump are virtually tied in Virginia, a Fabrizio Ward and Impact Research survey found.
The poll found Biden garnering 43 percent support and Trump 42 percent, well within the survey’s ± 4.4 percent margin of error.
Bradley Jaye is a Capitol Hill Correspondent for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter at @BradleyAJaye.
