Virginia Republicans have nominated a polarizing candidate known for taking personal potshots at his opponents and agitating aggressively for the preservation of Confederate monuments as their party tries to maintain its control of Congress.

The megaphone primary voters handed to Corey Stewart has Republicans quietly worried – and Democrats openly hopeful – that his rhetoric will impact some competitive House districts where both parties need crossover votes to win the general elections in November.

Stewart tops the GOP ticket with an unapologetically aggressive approach on everything from immigration to how he deals with opponents.

He’s mocked his fellow Republicans’ looks, said Confederate monuments would come down only “over my dead body,” and likes to boast that he was “Trump before Trump was Trump.”

(AP)