ELECTIONS

House Districts 7 and 10 aren't the only Va. Congressional races with contested primaries

Elizabeth Beyer
Staunton News Leader

With the filing deadline passed and campaigns ramping up on their spending, the June primary race is well underway for federal office in Virginia.

All of Virginia's 11 U.S. House of Representatives seats, along with Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Kaine - who occupies one of two U.S. Senate seats in the commonwealth - will be up for election in November.

Six U.S. House districts will have contested primary elections on June 18. Kaine does not have a Democratic primary challenger and will not appear on the June ballot. Five Republicans who are seeking their party's nomination to challenge the incumbent Senator will appear on the ballot in June.

These races for the U.S. House of Representatives will not have a primary contest ahead of November: House District 03 Rep. Bobby Scott, D – Newport News; House District 04 Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D – Richmond; House District 06 Rep. Ben Cline, R – Rockbridge County; House District 08 Rep. Don Beyer, D – Arlington; and House District 09 Rep. Morgan Griffith, R – Southwestern Virginia.

Here's a list of candidates for each primary race, in the order in which they'll appear on the June ballot, below. Early voting for the June 18 primaries will start on May 3.

U.S. House District 1

Two Democrats are vying for the chance to challenge the incumbent Republican Rep. Rob Wittman in November. Wittman represents Virginia's 1st Congressional District, located in the northeastern portion of the commonwealth, north of the James River, south of the Potomac River and west of the Chesapeake Bay.

Democratic Primary

  • Leslie Mehta: Mehta is a litigator and civil rights attorney. She was named the Legal Director of the ACLU of Virginia. She was appointed to former Governor Ralph Northam’s Commission to Examine Racial and Economic Inequity and has served on Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Rare Disease Council. She has raised $135,261 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Herbert Jones: Jones retired as a colonel from the U.S. Army after 30 years and having completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan a being awarded the Bronze Star for Iraq service. Herb has served three terms as the New Kent County Treasurer. He co-launched Pyramid Technologies, LLC, a cloud-computing, project management, and logistics firm.He has raised $118,250 so far for his campaign according to FEC filings.

U.S. House District 2

Two Democrats are vying for the chance to challenge the incumbent Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans in November. Kiggans represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, located in the south and eastern part of the commonwealth, south and west of Norfolk. The district also includes the commonwealth's eastern shore.

Democratic Primary

  • Jeremiah "Jake" Denton: Denton is a civil rights and constitutional law attorney. He opened his own law firm in 2022, which focuses on First Amendment law and discrimination cases. He has raised $210,215 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Missy Cotter Smasal: Smasal is a U.S. Navy veteran who deployed aboard the U.S.S. Trenton during Operation Enduring Freedom. She currently serves as the Virginia Citizen representative on the Chesapeake Bay Commission. She an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University and is the Executive Director for Valor Run, a local non-profit that produces running events to honor the U.S. military women veterans. She has raised $509,535 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.

U.S. House District 5

Incumbent Rep. Bob Good will see a primary opponent in the solidly Republican 5th Congressional District. Three Democrats are also seeking their party's nomination to challenge the Republican primary winner in November. District 5 lies to the west of Richmond and spans from Charlottesville to the commonwealth's southern border.

Republican Primary

  • Bob Good, Incumbent: Good has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2021. He is the current chair of the House Freedom Caucus. Before serving in Congress, he was a district manager at a CitiFinancial bank. He left CitiFinancial for a position as Sr. Associate Athletic Director for Development and Executive Director of the Flames Club at Liberty University. He has raised $855,792 so far for his re-election campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • John McGuire: McGuire served in Virginia’s House of Delegates to represent District 56 since 2018, before he was elected to the State Senate in 2023 to serve District 10. He served as a Navy Seal for a decade, before launching a small business, focused on fitness, called SEAL Team PT Inc. He has raised $502,747 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.

Democratic Primary

  • Gloria Tinsley Witt: Tinsley Witt is a board member of multiple organizations that include the NAACP Amherst Branch, where she serves as president; The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, where she serves as board member; the Central Virginia Academy for Nonprofit Excellence, where she serves as president; Lead Virginia, where she serves as a board member; and Centra Health, where she serves as a board member. She has raised $4,735 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Paul Riley: Riley is an Intelligence Solutions Lead with a defense contractor and has served in the U.S. Army for two decades. He has not raised any money for his campaign, so far, according to FEC filings.
  • Gary Terry: Terry served five years in the U.S. Army. He is currently the CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Danville Area.He has not raised any money for his campaign, so far, according to FEC filings.

U.S. House District 7

More than a dozen candidates jumped into the race to represent U.S. House District 7 after Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger announced her plan to run for governor of the commonwealth in 2025 instead of seeking re-election to Congress. Six Republicans and seven Democrats will appear on the ballot in June. District 7 has been deemed "leans Democrat" but Republicans are hoping to flip the district. It is located in the northern part of the commonwealth and includes Dale City, Fredericksburg, Culpeper and Bowling Green.

Republican Primary

  • Jon Myers: A former Marine and intelligence officer, Myers has appeared repeatedly on Fox News and News Max. He has also been an outspoken critic of the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. He has raised $65,669 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Derrick  Anderson: A former U.S. Army combat veteran and attorney, Anderson threw his hat in the ring for the 2022 election but lost the Republican primary to Yesli Vega. He has been featured repeatedly on Fox News where he has criticized President Joe Biden’s foreign policy in the Middle East. He has raised $888,595 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Cameron Hamilton: Not to be confused with the Love Is Blind season 1 cast member, candidate Hamilton is a former Navy SEAL and a former Department of Homeland Security employee. Hamilton has also appeared repeatedly on Fox News. He has raised $499,810 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • John Prabhudoss: Prabhudoss sits on the advisory board of the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations. He has raised $117,532 so far, for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Maria Martin: Martin has raised $6,447 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Terris Todd: A former advisor at The Heritage Foundation, a Washington, D.C., based conservative think-tank, Todd was appointed by the Trump Administration in 2020 as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans within the U.S. Department of Education. He has raised $25,382 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.

Democratic Primary

  • Eugene  Vindman: Famous for the role he and his twin brother played as whistleblowers in the 2019 Trump impeachment inquiry, retired Army Colonel Vindman has appeared on MSNBC to announce his campaign for Congress and is not to be confused with his twin brother, Alexander, who appeared on a season 11 episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. He has raised $3,793,505 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Briana Sewell: Del. Sewell currently represents Virginia’s 25th District in the House of Delegates. Prior to serving in the statehouse, she worked as the chief of staff to the Chair At-Large of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and advocated for paid family medical leave for Virginian residents. Elected to represent the 51st district in the House of Delegates in 2021, Sewell has sponsored legislation to support veterans, students and teachers. She has raised $172,724.18 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Elizabeth Guzman: Guzman represented Virginia's 31st District in the House of Delegates. After redistricting, she ran for state senate in District 29 and lost by 50 votes to Sen. Jeremy McPike. As a Delegate, Guzman advocated for paid sick leave, a living wage for workers, collective bargaining rights, the establishment of a new mental health crisis center, and a ban on assault weapons. She has also supported in-state tuition for children of military families and expedited licensure for military spouse nurses. She has raised $204,979.29 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Carl Bedell: Bedell served in the US Army and competed his service as a Captain and Counterintelligence Special Agent. He works as a lawyer and focuses on Veterans and small businesses. He has raised $60,128 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Cliff Heinzer: Heinzer served in the US Army as a Ranger-Qualified infantry officer and Special Forces Green Beret, and then as a Foreign Service Officer for the State Department for more than 20 years. He has raised $49,431 so far for his campaign according to FEC filings.
  • Margaret Angela Franklin: Franklin is currently serving as the Woodbridge District Supervisor, and was elected Vice-Chair of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors in January 2022. During her time on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, she led initiatives to create the county’s first child advocacy center, housing assistance program, small business grant program and led the creation of a racial and social justice commission. She has raised $241,346 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Andrea Bailey: Bailey serves as a county supervisor on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. She helped to pass the county's first Collective Bargaining Ordinance. She has raised $208, 497 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.

U.S. House District 10

More than a dozen candidates jumped into the race to represent U.S. House District 10 after Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton announced she would not seek re-election due to health reasons. Four Republicans and 12 Democrats will appear on the ballot in June. District 10 has been deemed "solidly Democrat" but a handful of Republicans are hoping to flip the district. It is located in the northern part of the commonwealth and includes Purcellville, Manassas and Marshall.

Republican Primary

  • Mike Clancy: Clancy began his legal career as an attorney with the Department of the Navy’s Office of the General Counsel. He is currently a senior executive and lawyer with a global tech company. He has appeared on NewsMax. He has raised $347,160 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Alex Isaac: Isaac is a retired Lieutenant Colonel after serving 23 years in the U.S. Army. He transitioned to the private sector as a member of the MarkLogic Corporate team and supports national security programs under several intelligence and law enforcement agencies. He has raised $124,910 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Aliscia Andrews: A Marine Corps veteran,Andrews deployed in 2010 with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit for the maiden voyage of the USS Mesa Verde. She ran to represent Congressional District 10 in 2020 as the Republican nominee. She was appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin as Virginia’s Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security in 2022. She has raised $106,494 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Manga Anantatmula: Anatatmula has raised $4,492 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.

Democratic Primary

  • Eileen Filler-Corn: Filler-Corn is a former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates and was the first woman to hold the position. During her time as Speaker, she helped to push for gun safety legislation and rolled back abortion restrictions in the commonwealth. She also ordered the removal of Confederate busts and a statue of Robert E. Lee from the state capitol building in 2020. She has raised $759,561 for her campaign so far, according to FEC filings.
  • Suhas Subramanyam: Subramanyam was elected to the Virginia General Assembly in 2019 and currently serves as a state senator in the 32nd District. He previously served as a White House technology policy advisor to President Obama. He passed legislation to lower drug costs and increase transparency in drug prices. He built a coalition across party lines that focused on energy costs which resulted in over $300 million in refunds to Virginians. His campaign has raised $679,183 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Atif Qarni: Qarni served in the U.S. Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom and served as the Virginia Secretary of Education under former Gov. Ralph Northam. He was also a middle school teacher for 10 years. He has raised $289,739 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Dan Helmer: Helmer currently serves in Virginia’s House of Delegates representing District 10. He is also a U.S. Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserve and served on active duty for 11 years which included tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and South Korea. He is a Rhodes Scholar. He ran for the Democratic nomination to represent Virginia’s 10th Congressional District but was defeated by Rep. Jennifer Wexton. He has raised $1,113,778 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Marion Devoe: Devoe is a Vietnam Veteran. He has raised $10 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Krystle Veda Kaul: Kaul served as a Director (GS-15) of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency at Department of Defense, the Director of Strategic Communications of the U.S. Air Force for General Dynamics Information Technology, and as an Intelligence Political-Military Expert at U.S. Central Command, according to her campaign webpage. She has raised $930,070 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Jennifer Boysko: Boysko currently serves as a state senator representing the 38th District. As a state senator, she has championed legislation to support access to reproductive health care and gun safety. She previously worked on Capitol Hill for former Alabama Senator Richard Shelby. She has raised $407,307 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Adrian Pokharel: Pokharel has worked for the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency and is a military veteran, according to his campaign website. He has raised $100,000 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Michelle-Ann Lopes Maldonado: Maldonado currently serves as the representative for the 20th District in Virginia’s House of Delegates. While in the Virginia House of Delegates, she has been named “Rookie Legislator of the Year,” “Education Champion,” and most recently, a 2024 "Impact Maker" by Virginia Business Magazine and a 2024 "Legislative Champion" by the Virginia Education Association, according to her campaign website. She has raised $69,200 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Mark Leighton: Leighton is a librarian and an administrative faculty member at George Mason Law Library. He has raised $6,472 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • David Reid: Reid current serves as Delegate representing Virginia’s 28th District. After 23 years in the U.S. Navy Reserves, he retired as a commander. He has raised $223,806 for his campaign so far, according to FEC filings.
  • Travis Nembhard: Nembhard is an attorney and was a candidate to represent Virginia House of Delegates District 22 in 2023, when he lost to his Republican competitor. He has raised $101,815 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.

U.S. House District 11

Incumbent Rep. Gerry Connolly will see a primary opponent in the solidly Democratic 11th Congressional District. District 11 lies to the west of Washington D.C. and includes Reston, Fairfax and Springfield.

Democratic Primary

  • Ahsan Nasar: Nasar is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and serves as a military lawyer. He recently resigned from his position at the U.S. Government Accountability Office to challenge Rep. Gerry Connolly in the Democratic primary. He has raised $70,669 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
  • Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, Incumbent: Connolly was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, and serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. He was ranked the Most Effective Lawmaker of the 117th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking. He has raised $1,626,726 for his re-election campaign so far, according to FEC filings.