Spanberger Draws Boos at 90th Galax Fiddlers' Convention as Republicans Tie Backlash to Redistricting
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Aug 12
Spanberger Draws Boos at 90th Galax Fiddlers' Convention as Republicans Tie Backlash to Redistricting
3 articles · Updated · Fox News · Aug 12
Summary
Galax attendees loudly booed Gov. Abigail Spanberger during a brief onstage appearance at the 90th annual Old Fiddlers' Convention, with the backlash renewed in accounts published Wednesday.
Republican Del. Wren Williams said the crowd saw the visit as pandering, likening it to Hillary Clinton's 2016 "hot sauce" moment and arguing rural voters felt ignored by Richmond.
Williams, House Minority Leader Terry Kilgore and former Attorney General Jason Miyares tied the reaction to Spanberger's halted redistricting push, gun policies and higher-cost energy and tax proposals.
Galax would have sat on the edge of the only Republican-held district under Democrats' proposed 10-1 congressional map, which a bipartisan Virginia Supreme Court panel blocked earlier this year.
Democratic strategist Matt Royer said Spanberger still deserved credit for appearing in a city she lost 68%-32%, underscoring the divide between her statewide strength and rural resistance.