The Loudoun County Republican Committee announced that it will hold a firehouse primary on Saturday to nominate its candidate for the SD-32 special election.
The seat is open after state Sen. Suhas Subramanyam (D) won the VA-10 congressional election Tuesday.
The firehouse primary will occur on Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Former House of Delegates candidate Rafi Khaja announced Sunday that he will seek the GOP nomination.
“As we witnessed in this past week’s election results, our country, and Loudoun County specifically, is ready for new ideas and to move away from the problems created by the present Democratic Party and their far left agenda,” Khaja said in his announcement. “We showed that the American Dream transcends political divides. We share a common vision for better schools, safer streets, a growing economy and stronger families. Governor Youngkin has demonstrated how to lead the Commonwealth of Virginia in this direction and he needs a State Senate that will work with him to achieve this vision.”
Rafi Khaja ran and lost by 22 points to Del. Kannan Srinivasan (D) in HD-26 in 2023.
Srinivasan is the favorite to earn the Democratic nomination in SD-32, setting up a potential rematch for him and Khaja.
Related: Several Democrats seek SD-32 nomination.
There are rumors about other potential Republican candidates, but no official announcements have been made as of yet.
Loudoun County Republican Committee Chair Scott Pio said in a phone interview that no candidates have filed as of 1 p.m. on Monday.
“As Chairman, the data for the 32nd District looks VERY VERY promising,” Pio said in the caucus call. “The Republican Party CAN win this seat if done correctly.”
Democrats are also conducting a firehouse primary on Saturday with a long list of candidates seeking the nomination.
Currently, with Subramanyam in the state Senate, Democrats hold a 21-19 majority. He won his seat by 22 points in 2023.
It is a tall hill for Republicans to climb, but if they win this seat, it would effectively give them the majority in the Senate for a year as the Republican Lieutenant Governor Winsome Sears casts tie-breaking votes.
The special election in SD-32 is taking place on Jan. 7.