RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A onetime Republican contender for Virginia’s competitive 7th Congressional District said Thursday that she is no longer running after recently approved redistricting maps reshaped the district and moved it north.
Taylor Keeney, a public affairs consultant and former aide to former Republican Gov. Bob McDonnell, said in a news release that she would discontinue her campaign.
She also ruled out challenging GOP incumbent Bob Good in the redrawn 5th Congressional District, where she lives.
Keeney, 35, signaled that she might consider another run for office in the future.
“Regardless of what we decide, I am going to be supporting candidates across Virginia — particularly women and younger candidates running for office,” she said.
Keeney was among three GOP contenders in the crowded field who had already raised six-figure sums, according to records maintained by the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.
Her decision marks the latest in a flurry of announcements from candidates since the Supreme Court of Virginia approved the new redistricting maps earlier this week.
The 7th District, a swing district that used to include the Richmond suburbs, is now centered roughly around the city of Fredericksburg. It is currently represented by Democrat Abigail Spanberger, who announced a day earlier that she would seek reelection under the new boundaries.
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