Rigell, Thelma Drake
It was an impressive win that pitted Rigell's massive spending and GOP establishment support against 5 other candidates, one of whom had the endorsement of the Hampton Roads Tea Party (HRTP).
Cuban-born Navy Acad grad Ben Loyola, the Tea Party's favorite came in a long 2nd; Bert Mizusawa, was third, and the remaining candidates, SEALs Scott Taylor, Ed Maulbeck and political newcomer Jessica Sandlin followed far behind.
Loyola pledged his support for Rigell, who in the November election, will face freshman Democrat incumbent Glenn Nye. Loyola believes Nye has to be defeated at all costs, including putting aside personal feelings.
Team Rigell
In his victory speech Tuesday night, Rigell called on the party to reach out to the Tea Party, which has most of the same values he holds, he said.
Before the polls closed several GOP elected officials expressed concern because they felt Team Rigell had let the candidate down toward the end. Those concerns were dispelled as the numbers started to come in.
Parents listen admiringly to Rigell's speech
Some predicted a Rigell win would fracture the party between the conservatives and moderates. That remains to be seen, although there were a number of stalwarts at the GOP's victory party in the Crown Plaza Hotel who supported Loyola or the others.
The party's former chairman, Kenny Golden, has already split, filing to run as a independent, over dissatisfaction with how the party establishment early on got involved in Rigell's campaign.
Golden feels the party powers that be, whom he likens to all the rest of the undependable politicians, wrongly gave all other candidates an un-level playing field on which to campaign by getting involved in Rigell's campaign so early.
The election showed that the HRTP was little more than a paper tiger, not ready for prime time, short on support and money to assist its candidate.
Is the HRTP more that just a coalition of fragmented hardcore conservative dissidents from other groups? Time will tell. There's no question HRTP faces major problems if they expect to be a major voice in Tidewater elections in the future.
The future promises to present an interesting political fight: The national Democrats will make a major push to hold Nye's seat despite the fact he's voted on the GOP side on major issues like Obummercare.
He is a member of the Blue Dog Democrats, a group of conservatives who frequently endorse Republican issues and causes with their votes.
Several members of the local party are upset with Nye because of votes, but the fact remains, not enough of them are to toss him out as their standard bearer.
Nye has anchored his popularity in the 2nd District to strong support of defense issues - issues that are considered highly emotional and attracts loyalty in the nation's largest military complex.
He's been criticized for absenteeism among the general population in the district, but otherwise is following the playbook set up for X-Democrat Rep. Owen Pickett.
Pickett safely remained in office for 16 years as a Democrat in a majority Republican district with his Blue Dog membership and voting record.
Nye will have to attract considerable Republican support to keep his job. He already has a sizable campaign war chest to take Rigell on.
The national Republican party will pull out all the stops to help Rigell and bounce Nye in the November election.
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