RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia voters will select their nominees Tuesday for this year's congressional midterm elections, concluding a primary season filled with disruption from Democrats' unsuccessful redistricting effort.

The state usually conducts its primaries in June, yet this year shifted them to August to allow for a voter-approved plan - later rejected by the courts - to create congressional districts more advantageous to Democrats amid a broader national redistricting fight.

The state Supreme Court invalidated the Democratic redrawn map that would have positioned their candidates to capture 10 of Virginia's 11 House seats, but not before hopefuls had already begun campaigns in those expected districts. Once it became evident in May that ballots would use the districts established since 2021, numerous candidates withdrew. Others rushed to shift their efforts to different districts, while a few continued in far tougher contests.

This disruption posed difficulties for candidates who remained in the primary longer than typical and sometimes had to adapt their outreach to new areas, Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger told reporters recently. Yet Spanberger, a former House member from competitive districts, expressed optimism about her party's general election prospects and the potential to flip as many as four seats in Virginia.

"The main concern I hold is that along the way some people wrongly concluded we could not succeed without redistricting. We can succeed. I am confident we will succeed," she said.

Virginia is currently represented by six Democrats and five Republicans in the U.S. House, all running for reelection this year. Democrats less optimistic than Spanberger aim to flip at least two seats to aid their party's bid to regain House control during the second half of Trump's term.

Crowded Democratic primaries exist in two of the most competitive districts, where Republican incumbents Jen Kiggans and Rob Wittman face no intraparty rivals but will defend their seats in the fall.

In other areas, two incumbents - Democratic Rep. Don Beyer and Republican Rep. John McGuire - encounter primary opponents yet have significantly outpaced them in fundraising.

Republicans are also choosing their nominee for a difficult race against U.S. Sen. Mark Warner.

Two Virginia congressional districts rank among Democrats' prime targets for regaining House control. The coastal 2nd District, centered in Virginia Beach, is essential for the party. The slightly more Republican-leaning 1st District splits its population between Richmond suburbs and rural counties to the north and west.

In the 2nd District, former U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria leads the four-way Democratic primary. The field also features physician Nila Devanath, who positioned herself as the progressive candidate, along with scientist and veteran Bill Fleming and Patrick Mosolf, a former international aid worker.

Luria, supported by the House Democrats' campaign arm and holding a strong fundraising edge, is a retired Navy commander elected to the House in 2018 who served two terms before losing to Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot.

The 1st District has a crowded seven-way primary, though most analysts view suburban Richmond prosecutor Shannon Taylor as the frontrunner after 14 years in office.

Taylor also holds backing from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and a substantial fundraising lead, despite facing pointed criticism from rivals including attorney Salaam Bhatti.

The contest includes several military veterans - Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs, Jason Knapp and Mel Tull - plus environmental advocate Tim Cywinski and attorney Ericka Kopp.

Only two of Virginia's 11 U.S. House incumbents face primary challenges.

In central Virginia's 5th District, Trump-endorsed McGuire, a former Navy SEAL and state lawmaker, confronts veteran Melanie Lucero, whom McGuire has significantly outraised.

In Northern Virginia's heavily Democratic 8th District near Washington, incumbent Rep. Don Beyer faces four challengers as he seeks a seventh term.

Former congressman Tom Perriello also competes Tuesday in a three-way Democratic primary for the 5th District, which he represented for one term starting in 2009, and leads in fundraising there.

Voters will resolve a three-way statewide race to select the Republican nominee to challenge Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, a prominent former governor first elected to the Senate in 2008 who now serves as ranking Democrat on the Intelligence Committee.

Defeating Warner presents a major hurdle, and the race is not viewed as a key contest for Senate control.

The GOP candidates are Kim Farington, an accountant highlighting decades of federal government work; Bert Mizusawa, a decorated retired Army major general; and David Williams, a Marine Corps reservist.

Warner faces no primary opponent.