In a campaign landscape saturated with attack ads and political polarization, Republican congressional candidate Philip Harding is trying something different. Instead of launching another policy rollout, Harding released a full album of reimagined classics that weaves together his campaign message with lyrics about entrepreneurship, family, and life in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District.
“What if we created an album and told the message through song and connected with people at the heart?” Harding told the Washington Examiner in an exclusive interview. “We’re trying to get the message out, tell the story of Virginia’s 7th, and also reach people about these important messages.”
A first-generation college graduate and entrepreneur, Harding is running for the seat previously held for three terms by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA). He faces Rick Smithers and Doug Ollivant in the Aug. 4 Republican primary. Harding, a drummer and former DJ from a musical family, hopes the music will help Virginia voters connect with his campaign.
“Music’s been a big part of my life. It touches people in a different way,” Harding explained. “We want to inspire and encourage people that you can still live your dream. This is still the country of dreams.”
The music draws inspiration from the Beastie Boys, Linkin Park, and Bon Jovi. Harding said he wanted to create a campaign theme people of all ages could rock out to while also delivering his core campaign message to Virginia voters: empowering businesses, strengthening families, and tackling the national debt.
“It touches on all the pillars of our campaign as well, like strong families,” Harding said. “If we can strengthen families, we can solve most of the issues in our society. … This is still the country of dreams, and you can still live it out.”
That focus on families and community is echoed throughout the album. In one verse, Harding sings, “Crime falls when purpose rises high. Hope grows when fathers stay nearby,” reflecting his belief that stronger families are key to addressing broader societal challenges.
Harding also wanted the album to sound unmistakably Virginian. The lyrics reference the daily realities of life across the Commonwealth, from long commutes to naming communities throughout the 7th District. He sings in one verse, “People work hard, but you’re falling behind. Stuck on 95 just wasting time. Stafford dads with startup plans. Prince William moms with side hustle brands, Fredericksburg dreamers building online, Culpeper farmers up before sunshine.”
Harding describes the album as a collaborative project shaped by the people he hopes to represent.
“It’s been great to get feedback from actual residents in the seventh, to tweak the lyrics and change the song,” Harding said. “We’ve had lots of different versions and edits, and so it’s really cool to be a collaborative project as well.”
Harding said the album is ultimately about encouraging voters to believe they can shape the country’s future and fall in love with being American again. The closing tracks challenge listeners with the lyric, “You are what America needs. Go make it happen.”
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“As we’ve listened and observed and talked to people about the real issues that they’re facing, it’s just really the heart of it,” Harding said. “Music can communicate in a different way than just a campaign speech or putting out another statement. It’s about being able to connect with people at the heart.”
In 2025, Spanberger won the district over former Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears by a margin of 57% to 42%. Whoever wins the Republican primary will face incumbent Democratic Rep. Eugene Vindman in November. Republicans believe Virginia’s 7th District is their best opportunity to flip a seat. Since Vindman initially launched his campaign in the 1st District because he expected the redistricting referendum to take effect, Republicans hope voters will be less than pleased that the Democrat was prepared to run in a different district.