THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

Even the next generation of politicos is tainted with scandal. While most people expect old, experienced politicians like Chris Collins to be so crooked he will need an extra large corkscrew to be buried, they are taken aback when the young ones show their skill at it.

Mr. Taylor’s race is emblematic of an emerging problem for Republicans as they seek to maintain an increasingly tenuous grip on the House: A seat once considered relatively safe is now imperiled because of scandal, expanding an already broad field of Democratic opportunity.

Democrats, facing comparatively few legal problems and seeking to portray a “culture of corruption” under Republican leadership, have tried to lump Mr. Taylor in with about a half-dozen other Republican candidates whose campaigns have veered off course over accusations of misconduct. They represent a small fraction of the 23 House seats that Democrats need to reclaim control, but in a year when Democrats were already expected to make gains, their fates could prove crucial.

Representative Chris Collins of New York was indicted on charges of insider trading last month. Last week he abruptly reversed a decision to step down and said he would seek another term, giving Democrats hope they could not have easily envisioned in a deeply conservative area. Representative Duncan Hunter of California was indicted last month on federal charges that he used campaign funds for vacations and personal perks.

Now Mr. Taylor’s reputation has taken a hit, pulling a congressman who won election by 23 percentage points two years ago into a race now considered a tossup by independent analysts. The petition controversy has received extensive coverage in Virginia’s Second Congressional District — which includes the state’s largest city, Virginia Beach — and his challenger, Elaine Luria, a retired Navy commander and graduate of the United States Naval Academy, has made a surprisingly strong run.

Mr. Taylor, 39 and in his first term, conceded that he was “aware of the effort to get signatures,” but added in an interview, “What I was not aware of at all was any wrongdoing by anybody at the time.” When he did learn of wrongdoing, he said, he took “swift action and fired senior staff.” He added that he had received assurances he is not personally under investigation.

“If people did something wrong, they should be held accountable for it,” he said. “Anyone, to the very top.” Democrats, he said, have overreached, and their attacks are serving to energize his electoral base.

Ms. Luria, 43, said she found Mr. Taylor’s explanation wanting. “I think it’s obvious that people call into question his integrity, his ability to lead and to stand up for what’s right,” she said. “When you are in the Navy and in command, you can delegate authority, but you can never delegate responsibility.”

The kids are supposed to wait their turn.