by Evie Fordham
Virginia Republican Rep. Dave Brat’s Democratic challenger apologized Monday after her canvassers reportedly wrote “Rot in hell Dave” on a Spanberger flier and left it on Brat’s door this past weekend.
Four high school students who were volunteer canvassers for Democrat Abigail Spanberger were responsible, her campaign said according to NBC12.
“This type of behavior is completely unacceptable and beneath the dignity of this race, and we have already notified these students that they are not welcome to volunteer with our campaign again,” Spanberger’s campaign said in a statement according to NBC12. “We apologize to Mr. Brat and his family. As someone whose personal, confidential information has already been compromised in the course of this campaign, Abigail believes that politics should never threaten the safety and security of any candidate, their family, or their staff.”
Brat’s children found the flier on the doorstep and his campaign referred the matter to local law enforcement, according to the campaign. Police confirmed Spanberger’s campaign’s assertion that “juveniles were involved in the incident,” reported NBC12.
Spanberger’s “personal, confidential information” was the center of controversy when the pro-Republican Super PAC Congressional Leadership Fund obtained her “unredacted government background files.” The information was obtained via a Freedom of Information Act request and is only supposed to be in the hands of non-governmental individuals under very restricted circumstances, according to the Washington Post.
Brat has held his seat in Virginia’s 7th congressional district since riding the Tea Party wave to victory in 2014.
Spanberger has been endorsed by former President Barack Obama and is a former CIA Operations Officer.
– – –
Evie Fordham is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation. Follow Evie on Twitter @eviefordham.
