U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Seashore speaks at a rally for presidential candidate Donald Trump on June 28, 2024 in Chesapeake. (Photograph by Charlotte Rene Woods/Virginia Mercury)
Democrats see Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District as considered one of their greatest possibilities to flip a Republican seat subsequent 12 months, and 6 candidates have already launched campaigns to tackle U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Seashore — the most recent being Dr. Nila Devanath, a hospital doctor who introduced her bid Tuesday.
The district, anchored in Hampton Roads and stretching throughout the cities of Virginia Seashore, Suffolk, Franklin, elements of Chesapeake and the Japanese Shore, has traded arms a number of instances over the previous decade and stays extremely aggressive.
Kiggans, a former state senator and Navy veteran, flipped the seat from Democrat Elaine Luria in 2022 and narrowly gained reelection final 12 months towards Missy Cotter Smasal.
However with President Donald Trump again within the White Home, Democrats now view her as some of the susceptible incumbents within the Home — notably amid the continued federal authorities shutdown that’s hit her military-heavy district exhausting.
“The 2nd District might be the second best district in Virginia, after the seventh District within the Fredericksburg space,” stated Stephen Farnsworth, a political scientist on the College of Mary Washington.
“The way in which the strains are drawn they supply a bonus to a Republican, however not an amazing one in a midterm election the place opposition to the president is especially intense. Democrats have a chance, and that’s why there’s so many candidates occupied with competing on this race subsequent 12 months.”
A aggressive coastal swing seat
The district’s giant inhabitants of veterans, shipyard staff and federal staff makes it particularly delicate to Washington gridlock.
The seat has swung backwards and forwards repeatedly. Democrat Luria gained it in 2018 and 2020 earlier than dropping to Kiggans in 2022 by simply over three factors. That sample — slim GOP victories in presidential years and Democratic surges in midterms — retains the district close to the highest of each events’ goal lists. The Cook dinner Political Report charges it a toss-up, and nationwide Democrats have already signaled it as a prime pickup alternative.
A doctor and former lawyer who grew up in Hampton Roads, Devanath grew to become the sixth Democrat to enter the race this week. The daughter of immigrants, she stated her marketing campaign is rooted in her expertise caring for sufferers who battle to entry reasonably priced remedy.
Dr. Nila Devanath, a hospital doctor and former lawyer from Hampton Roads, is considered one of a number of Democrats searching for to problem U.S. Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Virginia Seashore, in one of many state’s best Home races. (Photograph courtesy of marketing campaign)
“In our hospitals, I see day by day what occurs when Washington fails to behave,” Devanath stated in her announcement. “Households wait months for care. Veterans are compelled to separate their drugs in half. Sufferers with diabetes lose their lives avoiding remedy for one thing so simple as a small reduce as a result of they’re afraid of the medical payments that may comply with.”
She added: “Rep. Jen Kiggans and I each swore to take care of our sufferers, however in Washington she’s turned her again on that promise. As a physician, I can’t stand by whereas households undergo. I’m operating for Congress to repair this damaged system for my sufferers, for our veterans, and for each household who deserves higher.”
Earlier than changing into a physician, Devanath practiced legislation defending survivors of home violence at a legal-aid clinic. She now works as an acute-care doctor serving veterans and active-duty households. Her marketing campaign says she is going to deal with reducing health-care and housing prices, defending Medicaid and guaranteeing veterans obtain the care they’ve earned.
5 Democrats already in
Devanath joins 5 different Democrats who’ve been campaigning for months — Patrick Mosolf, James Osyf, Nicolaus Sleister, Burk Stringfellow and Mike Williamson — every bringing a special background to the race.
Mosolf, a first-time candidate for Congress, is operating on a platform of “restoring America’s democracy” and addressing cost-of-living points starting from housing to healthcare.
Osyf, a commander within the Navy Reserve and first-generation Ukrainian American, introduced his bid in July. He has served aboard the usNorfolk and works for Lockheed Martin. His marketing campaign emphasizes nationwide safety, veterans’ points and restoring belief in authorities.
Republicans have criticized Osyf for sustaining a residence in Washington, D.C., roughly three hours from the district, a cost his marketing campaign dismissed as a distraction.
Sleister, a army partner and neighborhood advocate, entered the race in April. He grew up in a working-class household that confronted layoffs and frequent strikes and later labored in homeland-security and physical-security management. Sleister focuses on financial stability and affordability for households.
Stringfellow, a trainer and undertaking supervisor lively within the nonpartisan RepresentUs motion, additionally filed his paperwork in April. He advocates for presidency reform, ranked-choice voting and financial justice.
Williamson, a retired Marine Corps lieutenant colonel and father of two who now lives in Suffolk, has additionally entered the Democratic major within the 2nd District. He served 20 years within the Marines, together with six abroad excursions in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and Asia, in addition to assignments on the Pentagon and with NATO in Hampton Roads.
Williamson says his mission is to carry service-era self-discipline and integrity to Congress.
Incumbent beneath stress
Kiggans, a former Navy helicopter pilot and nurse practitioner, has portrayed herself as a realistic conservative targeted on army households and the financial system, however Democrats argue her document tells a special story.
Earlier this 12 months, Kiggans voted for a Republican price range package deal that included deep cuts to Medicaid — reductions that might whole $625 billion nationwide over a decade and threaten hospital funding throughout the state.
Her opponents have additionally pointed to her votes towards renewing Inexpensive Care Act subsidies with out another, which analysts stated would increase premiums for roughly 300,000 Virginians.
The continuing shutdown has added to the political stress. With 1000’s of federal staff and contractors within the area dealing with furloughs, native officers warned of ripple results on small companies and protection operations.
Kiggans stated she supported a “clear persevering with decision” but additionally blamed Senate Democrats for stalling broader price range talks.
Excessive stakes for each events
The 2nd District’s competitiveness provides it outsize significance within the battle for management of the U.S. Home. Republicans maintain a slim majority, and each nationwide marketing campaign committees are already focusing on the race.
The DCCC has positioned Kiggans on its “Pink-to-Blue” checklist of susceptible incumbents, whereas the NRCC has moved to defend her seat.
Republican candidates representing districts that aren’t overwhelmingly Republican have an enormous problem relating to defending a few of Trump’s insurance policies, stated Farnsworth, the political scientist.
“Within the 2nd District, the place there’s a comparatively excessive stage of federal employment, the federal authorities cutbacks and the federal government shutdown don’t notably endear swing voters to Republicans backing the president,” Farnsworth stated.
Whoever wins the June 16, 2026, Democratic major, will face an incumbent in November of subsequent 12 months with a formidable fundraising community and a message rooted in service — but additionally a district more and more stressed with partisan brinkmanship.
With the shutdown dragging on and cost-of-living and well being care points dominating native headlines, Democrats are betting that Virginia’s 2nd District — lengthy a weathervane for Hampton Roads politics — may as soon as once more shift their method.
A map of Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District exhibits its boundaries throughout Virginia Seashore, elements of Chesapeake, Suffolk and Franklin, and the Japanese Shore counties of Accomack and Northampton. The coastal swing district, dwelling to 1000’s of army and federal staff, is taken into account one of many state’s best. (Map courtesy of Virginia Public Entry Venture)
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