Virginia Candidates Pin Hopes on White House Race

By Simone Pathé

Posted March 1, 2016 at 1:55pm

UNITED STATES - MARCH 1 - LuAnn Bennett, Democratic House candidate in Virginia's 10th district, speaks with Heidi Zollo, of Herndon at the Clearview Precinct at Clearview Elementary School in Herndon, Va., Tuesday, March 1, 2016. (Photo By Al Drago/CQ Roll Call) — Bennett speaks with Heidi Zollo of Herndon at the Clearview Precinct at Clearview Elementary School in Herndon, Va. (Al Drago/CQ Roll Call)

Before the sun had risen over Langley High School in McLean, Va., Tuesday, LuAnn Bennett had passed in and out of the gymnasium to cast her vote for Hillary Clinton and positioned herself outside the exit.

Standing in front of a table of Dunkin’ Donuts (“free for everyone”) manned by volunteers for the Virginia Democratic party, Bennett, who’s running for Congress in Virginia’s 10th District, greeted early risers who straggled in to cast their vote for president on Super Tuesday.

Normally buzzing with teenagers, Langley High School, partially under construction, was closed Tuesday to accommodate the anticipated crush of primary voters. With the rising sun came a steadier stream of McLean residents, but not enough to stop a school employee from asking, “Where are the crowds?”