VA-02 House winner?

Former Rep. Elaine Luria, the Democrat challenging Rep. Jen Kiggans for Virginia's 2nd Congressional District seat in 2026, has not moved into the district despite promising to do so after 2021 redistricting shifted her Norfolk home into the neighboring 3rd District. A Washington Examiner review of property records found Luria still resides in Norfolk and in 2024 purchased a second home just doors from her original house, also outside the 2nd District's boundaries. Her husband continues to list their original Norfolk address on federal campaign finance filings.

Luria's campaign says she was "deliberately drawn out" of the district after the court-ordered 2021 remap and calls the residency scrutiny a distraction from Kiggans' record. Candidates are constitutionally required only to live within the state, not the specific district. Luria won her August primary in a landslide and faces Kiggans in a rematch of their 2022 race, which Luria lost narrowly. The contest is rated a toss-up and is seen as pivotal to Democrats' efforts to retake the House majority.

President Trump has repeatedly downplayed reports of deteriorating conditions aboard the USS Lincoln and other Navy vessels deployed amid the ongoing war with Iran, calling the accounts "fake news" and suggesting sailors haven't been out "nearly long enough." The response has drawn criticism and could carry political consequences in Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, a Tidewater-region seat with one of the country's largest active-duty military populations, heavily Navy-affiliated.

Democrat Elaine Luria, a Navy veteran challenging Republican Representative Jen Kiggans in a rematch, says she plans to make Trump's comments a central campaign issue, arguing they reflect a broader carelessness toward service members and insufficient GOP oversight of the military. Kiggans has blamed media "misinformation" for the controversy, echoing her earlier dismissal of concerns about the carrier Gerald R. Ford. Local Republicans concede the prolonged war exposes the administration to criticism, even as they downplay the political risk among military families.

Virginia's 1st and 5th congressional districts have drawn roughly $1.1 million in combined trading on Kalshi and Polymarket, the most activity among the state's House races, as both could factor into control of Congress. In the 5th District, Republican Rep. John McGuire is favored over Democrat Tom Perriello. In the 1st District, Democrat Shannon Taylor is favored to flip the seat held by Republican Rep. Rob Wittman. A third race, the 2nd District rematch between Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans and Democrat Elaine Luria, has also seen heavy betting, with markets strongly favoring Luria.

More broadly, prediction markets favor Democrats to retake the House and give them an edge in the Senate, with over $165 million traded on House control and $99 million on the Senate across both platforms.

Virginia voters head to the polls Nov. 3 to decide three constitutional amendments — on reproductive rights, marriage equality, and automatic restoration of voting rights for felons after sentence completion — alongside federal races. Sen. Mark Warner seeks a fourth term against Bert Mizusawa, while competitive U.S. House contests play out in the 1st (Wittman vs. Taylor), 4th (McClellan vs. Murray and Bell), and 5th (McGuire vs. Perriello and Harvey) districts. Richmond and Chesterfield voters will also weigh a 1% sales tax increase to fund school construction, alongside 45 other Virginia localities, plus local School Board and Board of Supervisors races. Early voting runs through Oct. 31.

Early voting opened Sept. 18 in Virginia ahead of the Nov. 3 election, with voting continuing through Oct. 31 and a voter registration deadline of Oct. 23. Voters statewide will decide three constitutional amendments covering reproductive rights, marriage equality (protecting gay and interracial marriage), and automatic restoration of voting rights for felons who complete their sentences.

Congressional races include Democratic Sen. Mark Warner seeking a fourth term against Republican Bert Mizusawa, plus contests in the 1st District (Rob Wittman vs. Shannon Taylor), 4th District (Jennifer McClellan vs. Robert Murray Jr. and Joan Bell), and 5th District (John McGuire vs. Tom Perriello and Cooke Harvey). Richmond and Chesterfield voters, along with 45 other localities, will also weigh a potential 1% sales tax increase dedicated to school construction, projected to raise roughly $47 million annually in Richmond and up to $70 million in Chesterfield. Local races include a Richmond School Board special election and a contested Chesterfield School Board seat.

In Virginia's 1st Congressional District, Democratic prosecutor Shannon Taylor is challenging longtime Republican Rep. Rob Wittman with an anti-corruption message, accusing him of enriching himself through stock trades in companies he helps regulate. Wittman denies wrongdoing, says his portfolio is managed by outside advisers and reflects inheritances, has backed legislation limiting stock trading, and calls Taylor "a liar." The district, unrepresented by a Democrat since the 1970s, backed Trump by about 5 points in 2024 but went for Gov. Abigail Spanberger by nearly 3 points in 2025, making it a top Democratic flip target. Wittman has outraised Taylor roughly two-to-one, though outside groups have spent nearly $5 million attacking him on her behalf. Wittman, who has never won by fewer than 10 points, has deep local ties and Trump's endorsement, while Taylor has pledged to support a stock-trading ban, term limits, and a lobbying ban for former members of Congress.

The race reflects a broader anti-corruption theme emerging nationally this midterm cycle, with similar stock-trading and ethics attacks surfacing in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Virginia's neighboring 2nd District, where Rep. Jen Kiggans faces Democrat Elaine Luria. Polling shows voters are more likely to associate corruption with Republicans, giving Democrats an opening to tie incumbents to affordability frustrations and Trump-era controversies.

Early voting has opened in Virginia ahead of the Nov. 3 general election, running through Oct. 31 with a voter registration deadline of Oct. 23. Voters statewide will decide three constitutional amendments covering reproductive rights, marriage equality (protecting gay and interracial marriage), and automatic restoration of voting rights for felons who complete their sentences.

Richmond-area voters will also weigh in on federal races: Sen. Mark Warner seeks a fourth term against Bert Mizusawa, while U.S. House contests include the 1st District (Rob Wittman vs. Shannon Taylor), 4th District (Jennifer McClellan vs. Robert Murray Jr. and Joan Bell), and 5th District (John McGuire vs. Tom Perriello and Cooke Harvey). Richmond and Chesterfield, along with 45 other Virginia localities, will vote on authorizing a local 1% sales tax for school construction, projected to raise roughly $47 million and $70 million annually, respectively. Richmond also holds a special School Board election between incumbent Anne Holton and Jackie McDonnough.

Controversy is growing over a series of federally funded advertisements praising President Trump, which critics say amount to taxpayer-financed self-promotion. The Associated Press reported the three ads have cost nearly $1.5 million, with the newest spot closely resembling a 2024 Trump campaign ad. The Wall Street Journal reported the Department of Homeland Security helped finance the spots.

Virginia Democrats have been especially vocal. Sen. Tim Kaine called the ads illegal and said they reflect Trump's sagging popularity amid rising costs tied to tariffs and his handling of conflict with Iran. Rep. Eugene Vindman said Trump is trying to change the subject ahead of the midterms, while former Rep. Tom Perriello, a congressional candidate, criticized Republican rival John McGuire for staying silent. Several Virginia Republicans facing competitive House races did not respond to requests for comment.

The White House defended the ads as public service announcements reminding Americans to "love their country," insisting they are not campaign material since Trump is not on any ballot.

Virginia is rolling out $122 million to improve rural healthcare, funded through the Rural Health Transformation Program created by the federal budget law known as the "One Big Beautiful Bill." The money will go to nearly a dozen state agencies and community organizations, which will issue their own grants for initiatives such as expanding the healthcare workforce, improving maternal care, and boosting access to healthy food and wellness resources. Virginia's total allocation under the program is $189 million.

State health officials and Republican members of Virginia's congressional delegation praised the funding as a needed investment in rural care access and infrastructure. Democratic senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner criticized the rollout, arguing it does little to offset broader Medicaid cuts in the same law, which they say have already contributed to clinic and hospital service closures across the state and put dozens of rural hospitals at risk.