Former House Democrat Elaine Luria launched a campaign on Wednesday seeking to reclaim her old seat in a swing Virginia district. She lost her reelection bid three years ago to Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA).
Luria is looking to unseat Kiggans in a rematch to represent Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District.
“Virginians are hungry for change, and I look forward to getting back to work for Hampton Roads to make life more affordable for working families, grow our economy, cut health care costs, and strengthen our military,” Luria said in a statement to X announcing her campaign.
“Service to our country means putting the interests of the people above all else–including political parties,” she added. “I cannot sit back and watch as Republicans in Congress create chaos while failing to address the rising cost of living and the issues that matter to Coastal Virginians. Hampton Roads deserves a government that lowers costs, creates opportunities & improves their lives.”
The district is viewed as the most competitive GOP-held seat in the state and is expected to be one of the most competitive races in the country in the 2026 elections.
Kiggans won her 2024 bid for reelection by nearly 4%. Luria had flipped the seat blue in 2018, before being defeated by Kiggans in 2022 by just over three percentage points.
Both women are Navy veterans, hailing from a district that is home to the largest naval base in the country, with a voting population heavily composed of active-duty and retired military.
District 2 covers much of the southeastern coast of Virginia, including Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Franklin, Isle of Wight County, Accomack County, and Northampton County.
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Luria’s move to run for office again comes after Democrats saw a boost in the state during the 2025 election.
The party won seats in the governor’s mansion, attorney general’s office, and lieutenant governor’s position, decisively fending off Republican hopes of building on a swing toward a red Virginia experienced during the 2024 presidential election.