Stoney’s exit spares Dems one primary battle, fuels another [Video]

Stoney’s departure clears the field for Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th, who had raised too much money and developed too high a political profile for the two-term mayor to overcome, even 14 months before a party primary that would have forced him to defeat the three-term congresswoman in a likely one-on-one matchup.

“It wasn’t inevitable that he would withdraw,” said Larry Sabato, president of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. “It was inevitable that he would not succeed.”

In a telephone interview on Friday, Stoney acknowledged, “Abigail Spanberger is a very formidable candidate.”

“It would have been a grueling, negative race, and that is not what you want to ensure we elect a Democrat as governor,” he said. “I believe Abigail Spanberger will be a great nominee for us and a …