This fall, Congressman Tom Perriello, D-Charlottesville, will face his first incumbent challenge since unseating the then-incumbent Virgil Goode in 2008.
Perriello - who plans to emphasize area campaigning in the run-up to November - reiterated the importance of votes from college-age supporters during a University Democrats meeting Wednesday evening. "[He] is relying on us in this campaign as much as he did in the last," said Maddie Ward, a member of the University Democrats who attended the meeting.
Perriello also reminded attendees of his narrow, 727-vote victory in 2008, adding that this race would be "a test case whether people really meant what they did a year-and-a-half ago."
The University Democrats have been actively working alongside the Tom Perriello for Congress campaign, which will move its location to the Corner to promote increased student involvement.
College Republicans Chair Loren Monk said her organization would be putting in plenty of hours to support Perriello's opponent, State Sen. Robert Hurt, R-Chatham. The group will volunteer three times a week to spread the word about Hurt's campaign to the surrounding Charlottesville community.
Monk added that the club "also hopes to bring Sen. Hurt to the University this fall so that students can hear more about his ideas for the fifth district."
Hurt's campaign office was unavailable for comment.
University Democrats President Adam Gillenwater said his organization has seen an increase in enthusiasm for this election compared to the last, and he predicts another Perriello win.
Nevertheless, Isaac Wood, media relations coordinator for the Center for Politics and a former Cavalier Daily opinion columnist, said the election for the fifth district is going to be another toss-up race.
Wood called the election in 2008 "extremely close," and added that this year, despite Perriello's incumbency, the congressman may not have an easy time of it.
"The pendulum has swung the other direction and Democrats are going to be on the defensive," he said.
Polls show that the candidates are nearly dead-even in their support currently.
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