The U.S. House seat for Virginia’s 5th district is normally a Republican seat, but a Democrat won there in 2008. There are seven announced Republicans seeking the Republican Party nomination, although some of them apparently are mulling over ruinning as independent candidates. This newspaper story explains the Virginia law relative to independent candidates who had run in party primaries. Apparently, if someone declares for the primary, and then withdraws, he or she is then free to file as an independent candidate.