Tim Kaine's new opponent: a MAGA 'extremist' who once stumped in the wrong district

Senator Tim Kaine speaking with supporters at a campaign rally. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

When Virginians head to vote come November they will decide between incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and the now Republican nominee who is a retired Navy captain Hung Cao.

"Virginia Republicans have officially nominated Hung Cao to run against me," tweeted Kaine, who was once hitched to be presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's running mate. "He’s a MAGA extremist who looks out for himself first—not Virginians. He won’t show up for them."

The post featured some bulleted warnings on a slick, red-colored graphic.

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Kaine wants voters to know that Cao would be an "automatic vote for a national abortion ban" and slammed his rival for, he said, at one point comparing "women who get an abortion to Nazis."

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Among other concerns Kaine raised, he submits Cao is seeking to put the holiest of holies being Social Security and Medicare on the "chopping block".

Cao emerged as the top candidate among a field that included Jonathan Emord, Eddie Garcia, Scott Parkinson, and Chuck Smith.

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After claiming victory, Cao quickly took aim at November and is distinguishing himself as an anti-swam outsider.

“Tomorrow, we begin our campaign to save the country that saved my life,” Cao stated. “I spent 25 years in the Navy, while Tim Kaine spent thirty years in elected office.”

Cao's candidacy is not without controversy.

In the interview with California-based pastor and Trump-aligned guitarist Sean Feucht — Cao expressed his dismay over the disintegration of Christianity.

He pointed to Wiccan communities in California as the model of disrepair.

"There's a place in Monterey, California called 'Lover's Point,'" Cao said. "The original name was 'Lovers of Christ Point, but now it's become — they took out the Christ, it's 'Lover's Point,' and it's really — Monterey's a very dark place now, a lot of witchcraft, and the Wiccan community has really taken over there."

"We can't let that happen in Virginia," he added.

Cao also earned some snickers during his failed House bid in 2022 when he stumped for votes in Woodbridge, Virginia — which Democrats seized on, noting the town was not in his district.