WASHINGTON _ Corey Stewart won the Republican nomination for Senate in Virginia on Tuesday night, setting up a long-shot contest against Democratic incumbent Tim Kaine.
With 98 percent of precincts reporting, Stewart, the chairman of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, led a three-way GOP field with 45 percent of the vote when The Associated Press called the race. State Delegate Nick Freitas was in second with 43 percent.
Kaine was unopposed in the Democratic primary.
Stewart narrowly lost the GOP gubernatorial nomination last year and has been running a similarly controversial campaign again, which could cause headaches for other Republicans running in the state this fall.
Hillary Clinton carried Virginia by about 5 points in 2016, when Kaine was her running mate. The first-term senator previously served as the Old Dominion's governor and lieutenant governor.
He starts the race with a strong financial advantage. He ended the pre-primary reporting period with $10.7 million compared to Stewart's $161,000. Inside Elections rates the race Solid Democratic.
