PORTSMOUTH, Va. — It's safe to say voters who support State Senator Louise Lucas of Portsmouth also support State Senator Lionel Spruill of Chesapeake or the other way around.
The issues don't divide the two Democrats -- but redistricting will.
They're now both in District 18.
And only one can win.
The new district mainly sprawls across parts of Chesapeake and Portsmouth. Most of it includes Lionel Spruill's old District 5.
According to the Virginia Public Access Project, 64% of the district is in Chesapeake and 36% in Portsmouth. However, the lines are drawn to include only 10,000 more Chesapeake residents than Portsmouth residents.
"Chesapeake has gained population, so they gave me more of Chesapeake. Portsmouth has less than 100,000 people -- they didn't need that proportionate wise," Spruill said, who just released his first TV ad featuring praise from his sister.
Controversy is already unfolding in the race after Lucas took issue with several Northern Virginia lawmakers who are planning to attend a fundraiser for Spruill.
Lucas claims they want her out to open up more leadership roles for them.
"They can say it was a misunderstanding all they want but I can read, I been in this process for a long time, and I generally know when people have ulterior motives," Lucas said.
"I invited everyone to come as a special guest. I don't know who they support," explained Spruill. "They have said if she would have a fundraiser, they would come to her if they're invited as a special guest, no endorsement."
Lucas says she doubts she would extend invitations to the lawmakers in question to a Northern Virginia event she organizes for her campaign. "
I would choose not to have anyone who is currently on that list as a guest on my invite," she said.
Lucas has been in the State Senate since 1992. Spruill was elected in a Special Election in 2016 but served as a House Delegate from 1994 to 2016.
The Democratic Primary is scheduled for June 20.