Field set for special election in southwest Virginia Joe Dashiell ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - The field is set for a special election in southwest Virginia. Tazewell County Supervisor Travis Hackworth has won the Republican nomination for the 38th Senate District; there were six candidates. He will face the Democratic nominee, former Radford City Council member Laurie Buchwald. Buchwald was the only Democrat to enter the race before Thursday’s deadline. They are running to complete the term of Senator Ben Chafin, who died on New Year’s Day because of complications from COVID-19. Both candidates will face off in a special election March 23 to succeed Republican Senator A. Benton Chafin, Jr., who passed away January 1.