Now that the 2025 Virginia statewide elections are over – with huge Democratic wins – it’s time to take a break…nah, who are we kidding, this is Virginia so there’s *always* another election! LOL Anyway, in all seriousness, in coming months we *will* need to start focusing on the 2026 midterms, as those will be absolutely crucial to saving our democracy.
So along those lines, in Virginia – even before we get into possible redistricting – we’ve got at least one US House district that’s *highly* susceptible to flipping from “red to blue” next year. That’s VA02, of course, currently (mis)represented by the godawful Rep. Jen Kiggans (R), who unfortunately won the seat in the 2022 midterms, defeating then-Rep. Elaine Luria (D) – who was superb by the way.
So now, a bunch of Democrats have already thrown their hats in the ring for the nomination to take on Kiggans next year. Those Democrats are James Osyf, Michael Williamson, Nicolaus Sleister, Patrick Mosolf, Burk Stringfellow, Nila Devanath, and this morning another Democrat, former VA Secretary of Natural Resources (under Gov. Ralph Northam) Matt Strickler – see his press release, below.
I had a chance to chat for a while with Matt Strickler earlier this week (much appreciated, by the way; most candidates don’t make the effort), and he’s definitely a serious candidate, with a strong background in the district (he grew up and lives in Northampton County) and in public service, as well as a focus (and expertise) on natural resources, the environment (climate, the Chesapeake Bay, menhadan), etc. If elected, Strickler pledges to be an “independent voice to pump the brakes on Trump’s destructive policies and help build a fairer economy that works for regular people.” So good luck to Matt Strickler in his campaign; I’ll definitely be following VA02 next year!
P.S. We’ll see if former Rep. Elaine Luria gets into this race, as has been rumored (e.g., reporter Brandon Jarvis tweeted yesterday, “Former VA-02 Rep. Elaine Luria is planning to announce soon that she is running for her old seat against @RepJenKiggans, setting up a potential rematch. Kiggans defeated Luria in 2022.”). And if Luria *does* decide to run, will that “clear the field” of other Democratic candidates, or will they stay in the race? Stay tuned…
Matt Strickler Launches Campaign for Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District
Matt Strickler, a lifelong Virginian, public servant, and outdoorsman has launched a campaign to represent Virginia’s 2nd District in Congress.
The son of a public school teacher and a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute, Matt has spent his career working in public service at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Natural Resources Committee for the House of Representatives, as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the Department of the Interior, as a legislative aide to then-Senator Ralph Northam, and as Virginia’s Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources and Chief Resilience Officer from 2018-2021.
“The people of Southeastern Virginia know that Washington is not working for them, and they deserve better than what they’re getting from Congress. Senseless cuts to health care and veterans benefits, reckless tariffs and attacks on our allies, and the assault on hardworking civil servants and our democracy are harming families and our economy, and making us weaker and less safe as a country,” said Matt Strickler. “We need an experienced, independent voice to pump the brakes on Trump’s destructive policies and help build a fairer economy that works for regular people by bringing down prices on everything from housing to groceries – that’s why I’m running for Congress.”
As a Cabinet Secretary under Governor Northam, Matt oversaw five state agencies with a half-a-billion dollar budget. He led the strongest Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort in Virginia history, developed Virginia’s first coastal resilience master plan, and worked with the General Assembly to help communities across the Commonwealth fight back against flooding. He also took on special interests to reduce air and water pollution, promote affordable clean energy, fight climate change, and conserve marine resources like oysters, striped bass, and Atlantic Menhaden.
Matt, 44, resides in Northampton County with his wife Laura in the same Eastern Shore farmhouse where his grandparents helped raise him. To learn more, visit mattstricklerva.com.
