HAMPTON ROADS, Va. — A former Democratic representative is aiming to win back her Congressional seat following a series of Democratic victories in Virginia on Election Day 2025.
Former Rep. Elaine Luria announced her bid for the House of Representatives in a statement sent to News 3 on Wednesday.
From 2018-2022, Luria represented Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, which has seen back-and-forth representation from both Democrats and Republicans over the years. This district encompasses Virginia Beach, Suffolk, Franklin, Isle of Wight county, parts of Chesapeake, and the southern portion of the Eastern Shore. Winning this swing district would be quite the prize for either party during the 2026 midterm elections.
“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,” Luria said in a statement announcing her bid. “Virginians are hungry for change, and I look forward to getting back to work for Hampton Roads.”
Watch previous coverage: Jen Kiggans wins 2nd Congressional District seat after Elaine Luria concedes
In response to Luria's announcement, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee sent the following statement:
“Retread loser Elaine Luria remains an out of touch liberal who rubber-stamped Biden's destructive cost-raising, open borders agenda. If Luria moves even further left than she already is to win a messy Democrat primary, she'll have the honor of conceding to Jen Kiggans twice."
Luria, a Navy veteran, had positioned herself as a moderate Democrat in previous elections. During her time in Congress, she served on a House committee tasked with investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. She previously accused Trump of a “dereliction of duty.”
