CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Republican incumbent Rep. John McGuire and his Democratic challenger, Tom Perriello, both appeared at the Albemarle County Office Building on 5th St., Friday, as they began their final appeals to voters ahead of Tuesday’s election day. 

Both candidates talked about issues of affordability and healthcare, offering dramatically different takes on what has led to Virginia and the country’s struggles on those fronts and what can be done to turn things around.

McGuire, who is completing his first term in Congress, blamed the Affordable Care Act, which Perriello supported when he was in Congress, for higher premiums. Perriello pointed to the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” President Trump’s budget bill that cut Medicaid and other federal funding, and made it particularly hard for rural healthcare clinics to stay open. 

Perriello pointed to Trump’s war in Iran, which McGuire has supported, for the rise in fuel and other costs. McGuire acknowledged that the conflict in the Middle East has had a major impact on affordability, but said the solution is cutting back on regulations for oil refineries so the U.S. can refine more crude oil here in the states. 

While Charlottesville and Albemarle County typically vote overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates, other parts of the 5th District lean Republican. In fact, no Democratic has held the 5th District seat since Perriello from 2009-11.

Political prognosticators have declared this year’s race a toss-up or, for at least one, a lean toward Perriello.

McGuire doesn’t see it that way.

“If you followed me around, every restaurant, every gas station, every where I go, people are coming up to me asking for photos, asking me questions, saying ‘I voted for you,’” he said. “So, if that was any indicator, it looks pretty good.”

But Perriello believes he’s attracted support from independents and even some Republicans who blame the current Congress and White House for the affordability crisis.

“We’ve just got to restore common sense priorities to focus on bringing down costs and focus on restoring the rule of law. People can’t afford two more years of this chaos unchecked. We can see a pathway to getting gas prices down, grocery prices down and healthcare prices down. But it’s not going to happen if we keep the same people in Congress who created the crisis in the first place.”

He launched initiatives in October including “Farmers for Tom” and “Republicans for Tom,” garnering support from groups that normally vote Republican.

“It’s really exceeded expectations, the number of farms, white, black, cattle farmers, row crop farmers, who have come over to our campaign because they feel betrayed by a Republican party that said they were going to focus on bringing down costs,” Perriello said.

Friday, Perriello’s visit came in the morning. He arrived just before the county offices opened at 8:30 for early, in-person voting. A line of voters were already waiting at the door. A small crowd of supporters met him at a Democratic party tent in the parking lot. 

Perriello made his way into the building at about 8:45 a.m., casting his ballot for himself, Sen. Mark Warner and voting in favor of all three Virginia constitutional amendments. He emerged with his “I voted” sticker stuck on his grey pullover.

“We’ve just got to restore common sense priorities to focus on bringing down costs and focus on restoring the rule of law,” Perriello said. “People can’t afford two more years of this chaos unchecked. We can see a pathway to getting gas prices down, grocery prices down and healthcare prices down. But it’s not going to happen if we keep the same people in Congress who created the crisis in the first place.”

McGuire arrived in Albemarle at about 3:15 p.m., pulling into the lot in his signature blue pickup truck. McGuire, who said he voted on Thursday, had his own “I voted” stick on his white sweater. A small group of supporters met the incumbent, who spent time speaking with them before addressing the media. 

“We’ve worked hard. 22 months. We’ve solved a lot of problems for a lot of people in this district,” McGuire said. “I love people. I love our country. And I’ve been able to prove that I can work across the aisle to get things done.

“I would imagine everybody wants their elected official to work harder than anyone else. And people say I do.”

As of Friday morning, there had been 20,000 early, in-person ballots cast in Albemarle County, with another 6,000 received as absentee and mail-in ballots.