In a press release Vangie Williams, candidate for the Democratic nomination for the First District of Virginia, announced on Wednesday her intention to participate in the Fredericksburg Area Democratic forum after previously stating that she would not participate.

“I am very excited to announce that after some productive conversations with the organizers of the Fredericksburg Area Democratic candidate forum, I will be participating in the forum this Saturday,” Williams said. “I want to thank the organizers for the hard work they have put into making this happen, and I look forward to a spirited conversation with my opponent on the issues that matter to Democrats throughout the First District. I am confident that engaged Democrats throughout the district will see that I am the right choice to take on Rob Wittman this November.”

Earlier this week, the Vangie Williams for Congress Campaign released a statement saying that the questions they were provided for the “forum come across more as statements than questions” and for that reason she would not participate in the forum.

“We are attending and really excited to be a part of it.”

Williams’s opponent, Qasim Rashid, a human rights lawyer and 2019 candidate for state senate, reiterated his commitment to participate in the forum after the initial statement from Williams.

The forum will now continue as originally planned on Saturday, May 9th. The forum will be broadcast live on the Stafford and Fredericksburg Democratic Committees’ Facebook pages beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The Democratic primary will be held on Tuesday, June 23, 2020. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Tuesday, June 16, and the last day for in person absentee voting is June 20. For more information: https://www.elections.virginia.gov/casting-aballot/absentee-voting/.