Catherine Crabill has enough signatures to get on the Republican primary ballot against Rob Wittman

I saw this on the Northern Neck News online site:

Friday, Catherine Crabill of Lancaster County, filed the required number of signatures with Republican First District Chairman Tom Foley to be listed as a candidate for the party’s congressional nomination in its June 8 primary.

http://lwpolive.northernneckne…

Here’s the full article:

Crabill secures votes needed

 By Colston Newton

    Rep. Rob Wittman, (RMontross) will not only have to fight a Democrat to keep his seat in Congress but a Republican as well.

  Friday, Catherine Crabill of Lancaster County, filed the required number of signatures with Republican First District Chairman Tom Foley to be listed as a candidate for the party’s congressional nomination in its June 8 primary.

  Crabill submitted “about 1,500” signatures Foley said, adding that his comparison of the votes to the First District’s voter rolls showed that the signatories are registered voters as the law requires.  

  Crabill filed her petitions just before the April deadline for filing, Foley said. He noted that Wittman filed his petitions, which had 2,400 signatures in March. By filing first, Wittman is entitled to be listed first on the ballot, Foley said.

  He added most of Crabill’s signatures came from the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck.

  As he returned from Afghanistan on Sunday, Wittman had no comment regarding Crabill’s qualification for the primary other than to note she has said she was running against him for the Republican nomination.  

  The primary is a “job interview every two years” he said, noting that his campaign would focus on leadership and “the things we’ve done.”

  The winner of the Republican primary will likely face Krystal Ball of King George and Fredericksburg who is the sole Democratic contentender in November’s election.  

I don’t know enough about 1st District Republican politics to know where this will lead but Wittman can’t be happy with this development.  Given Crabill’s showing against Albert Pollard in last fall’s General Assembly election, she may force Wittman to spend a good piece of his campaign chest in the primary.

On the other hand, Crabill will need money to mount a primary campaign and her next challenge is to make certain her check for the filing fee doesn’t bounce.

I’d appreciate comments from folks who are more conversant with VA-01 Repulbicans than I am.