Virginia Democrat Caught Tampering With Campaign Signs by Police Hours Before Election

Virginia State Delegate Chris Hurst, a Democrat representing the Commonwealth’s 12th district, was pulled over by police less than 24 hours before the state’s Election Day after a deputy witnessed a woman taking campaign signs and getting into a car Hurst was driving.

Hurst was reportedly pulled over by police Monday evening in Radford, Virginia, after a deputy from the Radford Sheriff’s Office saw a woman, who has since been identified as Emily Frentewss, take out promotional signs displayed outside the town’s recreation center and then climb into the car that Hurst was driving, according to Radford Sheriff Mark Armentrout.

Police discovered that Hurst was driving the vehicle with a suspended license, and he was subsequently given a “driving while suspended” notification by a deputy, local news station WSLS reported.

Hurst assumed office in 2018 and is running for reelection to the Virginia House of Delegates to once again represent the 12th district.

The state lawmaker’s Republican opponent, Jason Ballard, stated in a Tuesday remark that the Monday night incident is “another excuse why [Hurst] does not deserve one other time period as delegate.”

“I’m deeply dissatisfied that Chris Hurst has determined to finish his marketing campaign in such a reckless method,” Ballard reportedly said.

This isn’t the first time that Hurst has been in the scope of the law. He was allegedly pulled over in Christiansburg in January 2020 for swerving, and underwent a blood-alcohol test that ended up being above the authorized limit.

The incident unfolded just hours before polls opened ahead of Virginia's Tuesday gubernatorial elections.