This morning, former Alexandria City Councilman (2019-2021) and federal attorney (who just resigned from the US Department of Labor, “citing a moral imperative to challenge Trump-era policies and a political system that continues to fail working familie”) Mohamed “Mo” Seifeldein announced his candidacy for VA08, challenging incumbent Rep. Don Beyer for the Democratic nomination to be decided next June. Seifeldein argues that “this moment demands more”; that “We need leaders who don’t just vote the right way—they fight the right way”; and that he’s “delivered real change. Now I’m ready to take that fight to Washington.” Seifeldein, 41, joins Frank Ferreira (D), plus two Republicans, vying to take on Rep. Beyer.
As for Rep. Beyer, I’m guessing a main line of argument by his Democratic opponents will be that Beyer’s done a good job over the past 10+ years (he was first elected to this position in November 2014) but he’s 75 years old, and that it’s time for – as Seifeldein says in his announcement – “a next-generation leader ready to challenge decades of entrenched politics and bring fresh energy to Congress.” We’ll see if there are any specific issues that come up in this campaign as points of difference, but overall, I’d say Rep. Beyer has been a pretty strong progressive, both on domestic and foreign policy, so it won’t be easy to come at him from his “left” politically. Maybe the Israel-Gaza war? Although Beyer’s arguably been one the Democrats in Congress most critical of Israel, so…not sure. Anyway, we’ll see how it goes, and of course this is a heavily “blue” district (Arlington/Alexandria/Falls Church/parts of eastern Fairfax), so whoever wins the Democratic primary (note that it’s very hard to defeat incumbents, and Beyer is very popular among VA08 Democrats) will be the heavy favorite to hold the seat in November 2026…
P.S. I’m assuming there will be a bunch of Democratic primaries to incumbents, particularly older (70+ or whatever) ones, next year…
Mohamed Seifeldein Announces Candidacy for Congress in Virginia’s 8th District
Former Alexandria City Councilman and Federal Attorney Launches Bold Campaign to Challenge Status Quo Politics
ALEXANDRIA, VA — Mohamed ‘Mo’ Seifeldein, a former Alexandria City Councilman and federal attorney, today announced his candidacy for Congress in Virginia’s 8th District. A proud son of Sudanese refugees and a longtime public servant, Seifeldein enters the race with a bold progressive vision and a deep commitment to justice, equity, and economic opportunity.
Seifeldein recently resigned from his role as an attorney at the U.S. Department of Labor, citing a moral imperative to challenge Trump-era policies and a political system that continues to fail working families. His resignation letter, submitted earlier this month, will be made available to the press following this announcement.
“I didn’t leave my federal job because I gave up on public service—I left because this moment demands more,” said Seifeldein. “We need leaders who don’t just vote the right way—they fight the right way. I’ve lived the struggles of this district, and I’ve delivered real change. Now I’m ready to take that fight to Washington.”
Raised in a working-class immigrant household, Seifeldein worked alongside his mother and siblings at McDonald’s to make ends meet. He has experienced life without health insurance, carried student debt, and faced housing insecurity—giving him a lived understanding of the challenges facing families across VA-08.
As the first Muslim and Sudanese-American elected to Alexandria City Council, Seifeldein led efforts to:
- Protect renters and prevent union busting
- Reform policing and expand mental health access
- Amend and strengthen the city’s human rights code
- Advance green policies to combat the climate crisis
- Pass historic collective bargaining laws for workers
Seifeldein’s campaign will focus on universal healthcare, housing justice, affordability, workers rights, food safety, and immigration reform. He is positioning himself as a next-generation leader ready to challenge decades of entrenched politics and bring fresh energy to Congress.
“This campaign is about rejecting passive performance and embracing bold action,” Seifeldein stated. “If you believe in courage over comfort, progress over promises, and action over excuses—then it’s time to Go With Mo.”
