Virginia Del. Barbara Comstock’s (R) campaign is rolling out a bevy of endorsements from former staffers of Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) in her race for his seat.
Calling themselves the “Wolf Pack,” the longtime nickname of current and former Wolf staffers, the group praises Comstock, who many worked with in the House.
“As former members of Congressman Wolf’s staff, we can think of no one more qualified to serve the people of the 10th Congressional District than Barbara Comstock,” they say in the joint statement.
“Frank Wolf has been a model of what selfless public service should look like, and all of us learned from him that when you are endowed with the public trust, you put your constituents first. No one learned that better than Barbara Comstock, as exemplified by her service in the Virginia General Assembly.”
Comstock, a former Wolf staffer, top Republican attorney and lobbyist, is looking to succeed Wolf in the House. She faces a contested race against controversial Virginia state Sen. Dick Black (R), and other Republicans might jump in as well.
Wolf has not endorsed anyone in the race.
Comstock has been working hard to lock down support from across the party. She has already won endorsements from Mitt Romney, who she worked for as a campaign adviser and surrogate, as well as right-wing radio host Mark Levin and Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips, who lives in the district.
Black’s campaign has been relatively quiet. The state senator has a controversial history on social issues — he once compared abortion clinics to Auschwitz and, during a state legislative vote on an abortion-related law, passed out plastic fetuses to lawmakers.
Comstock would seem to have the clear edge in an open primary. But local Virginia Republicans will decide on Thursday between a primary and a closed party convention that could be dominated by conservative activists, which could make things a bit more complicated. Some local Republicans expect that a convention will be chosen.
Democrats are hoping they can contest the Republican-leaning seat.