This year, U.S. House of Representatives seats across the nation are up for grabs — for our part of central Virginia, that means we can decide if Rep. Bob Good will serve another term, or if we will hire someone else for the job.
Over the next few months, we will be speaking with the 5th Congressional District candidates about what they say they want to do and seeking answers to the questions you have for them. You will be impacted by the actions your representative takes, so we seek to elevate your voice and your questions through our journalism.
The 5th Congressional District sprawls from the North Carolina border upwards to Charlottesville and Albemarle County. We’re also beginning to look at other areas of central Virginia. Scroll down to our survey to let us know what matters most to you in this year’s elections.
Key dates
- Register to vote or update an existing registration for the general election by Oct. 17.
- Request a ballot by mail by Oct. 28.
- Early voting runs from Sept. 23 through Nov. 5.
- Election day is Nov. 8.
Last updated on May 23, 2022
Here’s what you need to know about your candidates
Rep. Bob Good
Congressional candidate Bob Good speaks to supporters at a rally in Madison County.
Credit: Mike Kropf / Charlottesville Tomorrow
Good is the Republican candidate for the 5th District House of Representatives. He was chosen through a party convention on May 21, in which fewer than 2,000 people convened in Farmville to choose the party’s candidate. (Here’s more about the how the convention works.) He defeated challenger Dan Moy.
“It’s very exciting to be validated by the 5th District [Republicans]. They demonstrated they want a true conservative,” Good said after winning the nomination. “I’ve done what I said I would do since I first ran in 2020. I’ve fought for the things that I said I would fight for.”
Good is a supporter of former president Donald Trump and previously told Charlottesville Tomorrow that he would “fight to continue the Trump economy.”
Here are some of his key votes since he has been elected to Congress:
- Voted against certification of the 2020 election results that declared President Joe Biden’s victory.
- Voted against awarding Congressional Gold Medals to police officers who responded to the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
- Voted against a $28 million budget supplementation to address a shortage of baby formula.
- Voted for waiving brand limitations for baby formula that WIC recipients, women, infants and children who receive federal assistance for health and nutrition, can purchase.
- Voted against an annual budget bill that contributes funds to the U.S. Military because he opposed requiring servicemembers be vaccinated against COVID-19.
- Introduced the “Nickel Plan Act” in April 2021. It would require the federal government to reduce its budget by five cents for each dollar it spends annually but has not advanced through Congress.
Josh Throneburg
Democratic 5th District Congressional candidate Josh Throneburg poses for a photo after an interview with Charlottesville Tomorrow.
Credit: Charlotte Rene Woods/Charlottesville Tomorrow
Throneburg is challenging the incumbent candidate so he has no prior voting record. However, he has outlined issues and policies he would support.
Throneburg said he plans to support:
- Legislation that would support protections for abortion access at the federal level.
- Federal funding to support access to child care.
- Taxes or fines for companies and organizations that are the largest carbon emitters.
- Capping interest rates on federal student loans at 2%.
- Creating a federal fund to help localities with school construction/renovation costs.
