Dan Helmer on the campaign trail. (Getty)
But, just a week before the election, that changed after a media report revealed that members of the Loudoun County Democratic Committee were accusing Helmer of sexual harassment. Days later, King, an attorney for the alleged victim, released the following statement.
"After a political event in 2018, Mr. Helmer groped my client’s breast," King wrote. "In later conversations with others, Helmer sexually described the woman’s physique and talked about different sexual positions he wanted to try with her and other women."
Helmer denied the claims, but ultimately lost his race for Congress by four percentage points to Democrat Suhas Subramanyam. After the election, Helmer filed a defamation lawsuit in Fairfax County Circuit Court against King, Fechter and Savaglio.
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Voting booths on election night. (MARK FELIX/AFP via Getty Images)
"What makes it interesting in this case is defamation cases are very very hard to win nationwide and in Virginia because of so much you have to show for intent, truth, lots of issues that you have to do in a defamation case which makes them very, very hard," Breit explained. "And so the fact that he could file a suit having lost because of what was said and force these people, one to the table, and two to settle, to me shows they had real evidence that this was false."
When reached for comment by Fox News Digital, Fechter said the terms of the settlement prohibit him from commenting on the matter.
King told the Loudon-Times Mirror that he is limited on what he can comment on but did tell the outlet he is "very, very satisfied."
Fox News Digital reached out to Savaglio for comment but did not receive a response.
Democrats had a big night in Virginia last Tuesday across the board on election night, including the House of Delegates where they expanded their majority control. Helmer won re-election in District 10, defeating a Republican challenger.
Andrew Mark Miller is a reporter at Fox News. Find him on Twitter @andymarkmiller and email tips to AndrewMark.Miller@Fox.com.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sexual-harassment-allegation-that-derailed-democrats-congressional-campaign-results-in-defamation-settlement