Skip to content
Ballot Explained

U.S. Senate · November 3, 2026

Who's running for U.S. Senate in Virginia

2 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.

Candidates
2
Incumbent
Mark R. Warner
Parties
Democratic · Republican
State primary
Jun 16

Candidates appear in ballot order. We do not rank them, score them, or recommend one — here is how this is put together, and here is what the office actually does.

2 candidates · ballot order · Mark R. Warner 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.

  • Making Virginia affordable
  • Reducing health care costs
  • Supporting economic growth and working families
  • Protecting Americans' safety and national security
  • Upholding Virginia values
  • Fighting to protect freedoms

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • Incumbent U.S. senator from Virginia, according to the FEC
  • Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, according to his campaign website
  • Campaign website says he spearheaded large infrastructure investments and helped expand Virginia’s domestic manufacturing

Arguments in favor

  • Virginia Democrats and a broad slate of elected officials endorsed Mark Warner for U.S. Senate, including the state’s statewide elected officials, the entire Virginia Democratic congressional delegation, many Virginia senators and delegates, and more than 250 local elected officials.

    — Endorsements page on Mark Warner’s campaign website

Arguments against

We found none published about this candidate in the sources reviewed.

What we couldn’t verify

  • No published criticism of Mark Warner was found in the sources reviewed.
  • The sources reviewed did not include independent substantive coverage of his policy record beyond his campaign website and FEC profile.
  • The AP article provided did not mention Mark Warner specifically.
Their campaign site ↗Sources:markwarnerva.comfec.govapnews.commarkwarnerva.com

What they say they stand for

Their own words. Claims, not verified facts.

  • He said he wanted to help President Trump and others down the ticket, and that he had forwarded an idea to the White House on how Trump could constitutionally serve a third term. (Blue Virginia, quoting Mizusawa)
  • He said he wanted to donate to funding for Trump’s ballroom, and that if he were not running he would do so. (Blue Virginia, quoting Mizusawa)
  • His campaign message, as described by Fairfax County Republican Committee, centers on national security, military readiness, federal spending, and energy. (Fairfax County Republican Committee)
  • According to a Center Square quotation repeated by Blue Virginia, Mizusawa said his campaign has centered on national security, military experience, and reducing the size of the federal intelligence bureaucracy while highlighting his service in the Army and advising Trump’s first presidential campaign. (Blue Virginia quoting Center Square)

What they’ve actually done

Documented record from official sources.

  • FEC records list Bert Mizusawa as the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Virginia in the 2026 cycle. (FEC)
  • FEC records list him as a challenger and show his authorized campaign committees: Bert for Senate 2026 and Mizusawa for VA Senate Republican Nominee Fund 2026. (FEC)
  • FEC records show his committees raised $418,742.24 and spent $328,750.21 through July 15, 2026. (FEC)
  • Fairfax County Republican Committee says he won Virginia’s Republican Senate primary on August 4, 2026. (Fairfax County Republican Committee)
  • Fairfax County Republican Committee says he graduated first in his 1979 West Point class, earned a Silver Star for valor in a 1984 firefight on the Korean DMZ, served as a deputy director for strategic initiatives at the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and retired as a two-star general. (Fairfax County Republican Committee)

Arguments in favor

  • Fairfax County Republican Committee described Mizusawa as a decorated combat general with a Silver Star and extensive military and national-security credentials, presenting him as a serious alternative to Mark Warner.

    — Fairfax County Republican Committee

  • Blue Virginia quoted Center Square as describing Mizusawa as centered on national security, military experience, and reducing the size of the federal intelligence bureaucracy.

    — Blue Virginia quoting Center Square

Arguments against

  • Blue Virginia said Mizusawa was “extremist” and claimed he was pushing an unconstitutional third Trump term and wanted taxpayers to fund Trump’s ballroom.

    — Blue Virginia / lowkell

  • Blue Virginia said Mizusawa’s comments showed he was “running to serve Donald Trump” and characterized that as subverting the Constitution.

    — Blue Virginia / lowkell

  • Blue Virginia described him as a “far-right extremist nutjob” and said he was “MAGA” and extreme on issues including birthright citizenship and Roe v. Wade.

    — Blue Virginia / lowkell

What we couldn’t verify

  • The sources reviewed do not include a full official issue platform or a complete list of Mizusawa’s positions beyond the quoted remarks and brief campaign summaries.
  • I found no detailed vote record, legislative record, or prior elected office record for Mizusawa in the sources reviewed.
  • The sources reviewed do not establish whether the quoted comments about a third Trump term or the ballroom were policy proposals, offhand remarks, or campaign positions beyond the words quoted.
  • AP News material provided did not add specific new details about Mizusawa in the excerpt reviewed.
Their campaign site ↗Sources:fec.govbluevirginia.usbluevirginia.usfairfaxgop.orgfec.govapnews.com

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 Department of Elections lists only two qualified candidates for the November 3, 2026 U.S. Senate ballot: Democrat Mark R. Warner and Republican Bert Mizusawa. No independent or third-party U.S. Senate candidate appears on the state candidate list as of the current posting.

This is one contest on a longer ballot

A Virginia ballot also carries state legislative districts, county offices, judicial seats and often local questions — and which of them you vote on is decided by your street address, not your city or ZIP code.

See my full Virginia ballot

Voting in Virginia

Confirm this with the official source

Your ballot is determined by your election authority, not by us. Verify your registration, precinct, and sample ballot at Virginia Department of Elections.

Other 2026 races in Virginia

Before you vote

How do I find out what's on my ballot?

How do I check if I'm registered to vote?

How do I research candidates I've never heard of?

Should I vote early, by mail, or on Election Day?