Who's running in Virginia's 5th congressional district
3 candidates are on the ballot. Below is what each one says they stand for, what they have actually done in office or in public life, and the arguments published for and against them — each quoted from a named source rather than summarised by us.
3 candidates · ballot order · John McGuire currently holds this seat
Medium confidenceMedium confidenceThe candidate's stated positions and basic record are documented, but coverage is thin — often little independent reporting, or criticism from only one side.What would raise it: More independent reporting, a documented voting record, or published criticism from a named opponent would raise this.
What they say they stand for
Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.
Tax relief, which his campaign puts first.
Border security and support for the administration's immigration enforcement.
Support for law enforcement.
Veterans' issues, drawn from his Navy service.
Support for President Trump's legislative agenda.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 5th District since January 2025; elected in 2024 with 57.3%.
Won the 2024 Republican primary by a few hundred votes against sitting congressman Bob Good, in one of the country's most bitter nomination fights.
Served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 2018 to 2024 and the Senate of Virginia in 2024.
United States Navy SEAL from 1988 to 1998; broke his neck in a trampoline accident in 2006.
Won the August 4, 2026 Republican primary against Melanie Lucero.
Reported $1,781,840 raised with $524,404 on hand as of the summer 2026 filing, against Perriello's $2,140,402 and $1,511,291.
Arguments in favor
President Trump and former governor Glenn Youngkin both endorsed him, and the NRCC says he has "hit the ground running by delivering historic tax relief for Virginia families, assisting President Trump in securing the border, and supporting law enforcement."
— Donald Trump and Glenn Youngkin endorsements; National Republican Congressional Committee
The district has stayed Republican even through double-digit Democratic statewide wins, including the 2025 sweep, and every forecaster still rates the seat lean, likely or solid Republican despite his fundraising disadvantage.
— Cook Political Report, Inside Elections, Sabato's Crystal Ball and Decision Desk HQ ratings
Arguments against
His Republican primary opponent Melanie Lucero, a former Marine, said he ignores constituents and is "bought and paid for." VPM reported that frustration with his unresponsiveness ran through both parties' primaries, and that he declined its interview requests.
— Melanie Lucero, 2026 Republican primary, reported by VPM
Perriello argues "McGuire's policies are hurting working families in Virginia" regardless of party, tying him to the administration's economic record; Republican primary rival Robert Tracinski's parallel critique was that "he's never going to say no to Trump" because that is how he got the seat.
— Tom Perriello campaign; Robert Tracinski, 2026 Democratic primary
What we couldn’t verify
Robert Tracinski ran in the Democratic primary, not the Republican one, despite the argument he made; both his and Lucero's criticisms are from the August primaries rather than the general election.
Blue Virginia, an explicitly partisan Democratic site, has published further material on him. That is noted here rather than used as an argument.
Green industrial jobs in the district's manufacturing towns.
Health care access in rural Southside Virginia.
Getting money out of politics.
Diplomacy over military intervention, drawn from his envoy work.
What they’ve actually done
Documented record from official sources.
U.S. Representative for the 5th District from January 2009 to January 2011.
United States special envoy for Sudan from February 2024 until shortly before the 2025 inauguration; ran for governor of Virginia in 2017.
Formerly led human rights work at the Open Society Foundations.
Won the August 4, 2026 Democratic primary against Suzanne Krzyzanowski and Robert Tracinski.
Reported $2,140,402 raised with $1,511,291 on hand, out-raising the incumbent for three consecutive quarters.
Arguments in favor
He has both Virginia senators, Governor Abigail Spanberger, Lieutenant Governor Ghazala Hashmi, former governor Ralph Northam, Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg behind him, alongside the Congressional Progressive Caucus, End Citizens United and the DCCC's Red to Blue programme.
— Endorsements from the officials and organisations named
He has out-raised the incumbent for three straight quarters and holds close to a three-to-one cash advantage going into the autumn — $1.51 million to $524,000 — in a district national Democrats had not previously contested.
— Federal Election Commission filings reported by Cardinal News and 29News
Arguments against
The NRCC says he would "undo" McGuire's record "by implementing DC Democrats' high-tax, open-border, far-left agenda" — the argument being that his politics do not match a district that has stayed Republican through statewide Democratic sweeps.
— National Republican Congressional Committee
McGuire attacks his work for George Soros's Open Society Foundations "during the worst immigration crisis," and says his climate policy is "a radical climate agenda that kills jobs and drives up your bills" in a district built on manufacturing and rural energy costs.
— John McGuire campaign, August 2026
What we couldn’t verify
McGuire also called Perriello "a communist" in the same remarks. That is an epithet rather than a claim that can be checked, and commentators noted it mischaracterises a mainstream Democrat; it is recorded here rather than in either column.
He last held this seat sixteen years ago and has spent much of the intervening period in Washington and abroad. No opponent was found making a residency or absence argument in this cycle, so it is not presented as one.
Carpenter and vocational therapist; lives in Amherst.
Qualified for the November 2026 ballot as an independent.
Runs a campaign YouTube channel; the state's certified list records no campaign website for him.
Has not held elected office.
Arguments in favor
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
Arguments against
We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.
What we couldn’t verify
No published criticism of Harvey by name could be found — not from either major-party campaign, not from a party committee, and not in Charlottesville, Lynchburg or Danville news coverage — and no published case for him beyond his voter-guide answers. Because no case against him exists on the record, none is presented for him either.
No campaign website, fundraising figures or endorsements were found.
Sources differ on his occupation: Wikipedia describes him as a vocational therapist and Ballotpedia as a carpenter; both are recorded above.
Positions and criticism are quoted from the named sources, not our assessments. This is built to help you start getting informed — confirm the official candidate list with your election authority before you vote.
Virginia held its primaries on August 4, 2026. Three candidates appear on the November ballot: Republican incumbent John McGuire, Democrat Tom Perriello and independent Cooke Harvey. The roster is confirmed against the Virginia Department of Elections certified federal candidate list for the November 3, 2026 general election, revised September 8, 2026; Ballotpedia also lists an independent named Chris Register, who does not appear on the state's certified list and is excluded. The district covers most of rural Southside Virginia along with Charlottesville, Danville and Lynchburg. It stayed Republican through the Democratic statewide sweep of 2025, but Perriello has outraised McGuire and forecasters range from solid to lean Republican. Perriello held this seat for one term from 2009 to 2011; if he wins, he would be the fifth different representative for it in six cycles.
This is one contest on a longer ballot
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