The Democratic committees of the Middle Peninsula gathered at Rappahannock Community College Glenns last Thursday for a candidate forum to help them determine which candidate they would like to have run in the 1st Congressional District election to oppose Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Montross) in November. That candidate will be chosen during the Aug. 4 U.S. House of Representatives’ primary election. Early voting in the primary begins on Friday, June 19, or on Thursday, June 18 in localities where offices are closed on Friday for the Juneteenth holiday. Six of the seven candidates running for the nomination were present at the forum: Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs of Hanover, Salaam Bhatti of Henrico, Tim Cywinski of Chesterfield, Jason Knapp of Northumberland, Ericka Kopp of Henrico, and Mel Tull of Henrico. The seventh candidate, Shannon Taylor of Henrico, was not present due to a scheduling conflict. Joyce Major of the Middlesex Democrats gave welcoming remarks, telling those present that all the ...