Chris Hurst  Whose Girlfriend Was Fatally Shot on Air Defeats N.R.A.
Hurst
âShe was the most radiant woman I ever met â  Mr. Hurst  wrote of Ms. Parker after the shooting. âAnd for some reason she loved me back.â
 Mr. Hurst  was the only House candidate in Virginia who was endorsed by the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. But  he  chose not to make gun control a key campaign issue even as  he  ran against Mr. Yost  a three-term incumbent with an A rating from  the N.R.A. Mr. Hurst  focused instead on mental health  as well as issues like health care and education funding.
 Mr. Hurst  described  himself  as a gun owner and supporter of the Second Amendment  but said that  he  was intent on trying âto reduce gun homicides  suicides and accidental deaths.â
The victory came on a banner night for Virginia Democrats. Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam soundly defeated the Republican nominee  Ed Gillespie  to win the governorship. And  Mr. Hurst  was one of at least 14 Democrats to retake what had formerly been Republican seats  putting the party in contention to retake the House of Delegates for the first time in more than 15 years.
Asked if he thought the results were a rebuke to President Trump   Mr. Hurst  paused to consider.
âI still think politics is local â  he  said. âBut I think there are many people who got active and started organizing who were trying to send a message as a sign of resistance against President Trump and his administration.â
Ms. Parkerâs parents  Andy and Barbara  attended Mr. Hurstâs victory celebration Tuesday evening at a Hyatt in Blacksburg  Va.  along with a crowd of about 100.
He said that if his daughter had been alive  she would have been by  Mr. Hurst âs side  making sure  he  followed through on  his  campaign promises.
 Mr. Hurst  had insisted from the beginning of  his  campaign that  he  was not trying to earn sympathy votes and did not want peopleâs pity  even as  he  explained that Ms. Parkerâs death had been instrumental in  his  decision to change careers.  He  said that  he  hoped  his  victory would show people that âanyone can turn tragedy into triumph.â
âItâs not what happens on our worst day that defines us â  he  said. âItâs what we do in response to it.â
âShe was the most radiant woman I ever met â   [TGT] wrote of Ms. Parker after the shooting. âAnd for some reason she loved me back.â
  [TGT] was the only House candidate in Virginia who was endorsed by the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety. But   [TGT]   chose not to make gun control a key campaign issue even as   [TGT]   ran against Mr. Yost  a three-term incumbent with an A rating from  the N.R.A. Mr. Hurst  focused instead on mental health  as well as issues like health care and education funding.
  [TGT] described   [TGT]   as a gun owner and supporter of the Second Amendment  but said that   [TGT]   was intent on trying âto reduce gun homicides  suicides and accidental deaths.â
The victory came on a banner night for Virginia Democrats. Lt. Gov. Ralph S. Northam soundly defeated the Republican nominee  Ed Gillespie  to win the governorship. And   [TGT] was one of at least 14 Democrats to retake what had formerly been Republican seats  putting the party in contention to retake the House of Delegates for the first time in more than 15 years.
Asked if he thought the results were a rebuke to President Trump    [TGT] paused to consider.
âI still think politics is local â   [TGT]   said. âBut I think there are many people who got active and started organizing who were trying to send a message as a sign of resistance against President Trump and his administration.â
Ms. Parkerâs parents  Andy and Barbara  attended Mr. Hurstâs victory celebration Tuesday evening at a Hyatt in Blacksburg  Va.  along with a crowd of about 100.
He said that if his daughter had been alive  she would have been by   [TGT] making sure   [TGT]   followed through on   [TGT]   campaign promises.
  [TGT] had insisted from the beginning of   [TGT]   campaign that   [TGT]   was not trying to earn sympathy votes and did not want peopleâs pity  even as   [TGT]   explained that Ms. Parkerâs death had been instrumental in   [TGT]   decision to change careers.   [TGT]   said that   [TGT]   hoped   [TGT]   victory would show people that âanyone can turn tragedy into triumph.â
âItâs not what happens on our worst day that defines us â   [TGT]   said. âItâs what we do in response to it.â