Bedell sees an opportunity, given recent demographic shifts and the current political climate, to upset Brat — a free-market conservative member of the anti-establishment Freedom Caucus in Congress who supports the GOP presidential nominee, Donald Trump.

“We’re tired of extremism and we’re ready to get back to work,” Bedell said in a recent interview at the Richmond Times-Dispatch. She believes there is an “aversion to Trump” in the general electorate and a willingness among voters to listen to a different message. “They just want people to get back to the middle and be able to compromise.”

Bedell said Brat has “embraced Trump.” She said she offers an alternative.

“I think there are a lot of Republicans in the 7th that would agree with me,” she said, noting that U.S. Sen. Timothy M. Kaine, D-Va. — now the Democratic nominee for vice president — won Henrico in his 2005 race for governor and in his 2012 run for Senate.

In a separate interview at The Times-Dispatch, Brat said he did not endorse any presidential candidate in the primary but was holding to his promise of backing the party nominee.