Mark Warner (Incumbent)
markwarnerva.com

Senator Warner is running for re-election because he wants to make sure that every Virginian has the same opportunity he had to pursue the American Dream. He believes that our country needs more leaders who know how to bridge partisan divides and get to yes on solutions that benefit the communities they serve. Senator Warner also knows that agriculture remains Virginia's largest top private industry and looks forward to working with the community to address the rising prices created by tariffs and the war in Iran.

Bert Mizusawa
bertforsenate.com

I'm running for U.S. Senate because Virginia deserves better than a career politician like Mark Warner, who for 17 years has been nothing but a rubber stamp for his party's agenda. I believe my experience as a Major General in the Army gives me the leadership skills to be an effective Senator for Virginia.

Mark Warner (Incumbent)

Senator Warner believes that we urgently need to address the cost of living crisis in our country, work with our allies to protect our national security and address the coming challenges associated with Artificial Intelligence. To address the cost of living crisis, Senator Warner believes we need to repeal ineffective tariffs, reform our broken healthcare system and expand housing supply. He believes that the military intervention in Iran has done nothing to improve our national security and is driving up the cost of energy, specifically diesel, a critical input for agriculture production. Finally, he wants to address the urgent challenges created by AI before it is too late. This means making data centers pay their fair share, protecting children from the harmful effects of AI and making AI companies who stand to make trillions of dollars help pay for investments in workers impacted by AI.

Bert Mizusawa

My top three priorities as a candidate are lowering costs across the board so families, small businesses, and farmers can achieve the American Dream, reducing burdensome regulations on small businesses and the agriculture industry, and ensuring every voice from Southwest to Northern Virginia to Southside to Hampton Roads has proper representation in the Senate.

Mark Warner (Incumbent)

Senator Warner supports moving the H-2A program to USDA and creating a single online portal for grower requests to cut red tape. He also supports expanding H-2A beyond a seasonal program, which would permit worker authorization for up to one year and allow other sectors such as livestock and dairy to utilize the program. Senator Warner believes that any H-2A expansion must be accompanied by adequate staffing to process H-2A requests and vet workers.

Bert Mizusawa

I would make the H-2A program more reliable for farmers while keeping it a legal and responsibly regulated workforce program. Employers should be able to set reasonable experience requirements, and year-round agricultural operations should have access when they cannot find enough American workers. I would also reform the AEWR process to give farmers more stable, predictable labor costs and reduce unnecessary delays.

Mark Warner (Incumbent)

There are a number of pro-Virginia policies that Senator Warner hopes to include in future farm bills. First, he supports increasing Market Access and Foreign Market Development funding to expand Virginia's export markets. Second, he supports allowing SNAP recipients to use their benefits to purchase hot rotisserie chicken - a policy that would help Virginia poultry growers. Finally, Senator Warner supports additional funding for animal health initiatives and for conservation programs such as EQIP, CSP and CREP.

Bert Mizusawa

Virginia farmers are too often forgotten. In the Senate, I will work with farmers to ensure the Farm Bill provides support for current farmers and our future generations. We need stronger crop insurance and disaster assistance, more support for local meat processing, help bringing large-animal veterinarians to rural communities, and better access to precision agriculture and reliable broadband. I also want to make sure Virginia farmers can keep using proven crop-protection tools without Washington piling on more regulations and costs.

Mark Warner (Incumbent)

Senator Warner believes that Virginia must remain an attractive destination for private sector investment, but that we need to have policies in place that incentivize data center, solar and other commercial developers to use land zoned for commercial and industrial development before considering farmland. Senator Warner also supports continued development of responsible agrivoltaics, which can help generate clean energy for communities while providing new, consistent revenue streams for farmers. Finally, Senator Warner believes states and localities deserve full information on proposed data center projects before they are built and ways to ban non-disclosure agreements that hide key project details.

Bert Mizusawa

I believe that decisions on where to place these data centers, transmission lines, and utility-scale solar projects should be left to the communities that would be affected by them. My hope for these communities making these decisions is that these projects do not in any way affect productive working land. My opponent, Mark Warner, told data center executives that he would "move heaven and earth" to bring more data centers to Southwest and Southside in terms of federal and state incentives.

Mark Warner (Incumbent)

Senator Warner supports reforms to the H-2A and H-2B program regulations so that farmers and seafood producers can more easily access the workforce they need. He also supports streamlining USDA disaster assistance and allowing more flexibility to cover business-related impacts. On PFAS, Senator Warner believes that the companies responsible should help fund wastewater treatment upgrades with federal resources and technical assistance supporting those upgraded systems and USDA conservation programs reducing runoff.

Bert Mizusawa

I believe that the current conservation compliance policy is unjust especially for the next generation of farmers looking to break into the agriculture industry. In the Senate, I will make sure that no farmer is punished for violations that they did not commit or had any knowledge of. On that same vein, farmers should not be held liable for PFAS contamination they did not create or knowingly introduce. I would focus accountability on the actual source of contamination while supporting science-based testing that allows farmers to continue safely using biosolids as fertilizer.

Mark Warner (Incumbent)

Senator Warner understands Virginia growers need certainty and stability in the availability of crop protectants in order to be successful. He supports a science and fact-based regulatory regime to ensure the continued availability of critical crop protectants for Virginia farmers. Senator Warner understands the U.S. has the greatest scientists and most secure food supply in the world. He also understands there are longstanding policies and procedures to ensure the safety of crop protectants that have worked for years. He believes these professionals should be allowed to carry out their work without political influence.

Bert Mizusawa

Farming isn't easy work and the high costs that farmers are paying for crop protectants aren't making it any easier. In order to help with rising costs, I will oppose any legislation that aims to restrict the use of EPA approved crop protectants that aren't rooted in science, support increased domestic production of crop protectants, and advocate for more funding in research to find safe alternatives to cost-prohibitive protectants already on the market.

Robert Wittman (Incumbent)
robwittman.com

I am running for Congress in Virginia’s First District because I am proud of the results we have delivered, but there is more work to do for the people and communities I represent. Lowering costs, keeping our communities safe, protecting our natural resources, supporting our military and veterans, and preserving the rural character of our region remain among my highest priorities.

Agriculture is a cornerstone of Virginia’s economy and way of life. Our farmers feed families across the Commonwealth, the country, and the world, and Washington should be making it easier, not harder, for them to succeed.

That starts with ensuring farmers have access to the workforce they need. The H-2A program must work for every agricultural sector, which is why I support the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act to improve federal coordination, expand H-2A eligibility, and provide farmers with greater wage certainty.

Congress also needs to pass a strong Farm Bill that gives Virginia producers the certainty and tools they need to plan for the future. That means strengthening the safety net farmers rely on when natural disasters and other emergencies strike, while expanding access to capital and programs that help producers invest in their land, equipment, workforce, and conservation efforts.

Agricultural policy must also be grounded in sound science. Pesticides and herbicides are important tools for protecting crops and maintaining a safe and reliable food supply. Broad, arbitrary bans that ignore science can threaten both farmers’ livelihoods and our food security.

Virginia farmers have also long been leaders in conservation. Protecting working lands and protecting natural resources are not competing goals. I have led the Chesapeake Bay Conservation Acceleration Act to strengthen USDA’s ability to help farmers implement voluntary conservation practices that protect the Bay while keeping farms productive.

We also must confront development pressures on Virginia farmland. Productive agricultural land should not be lost to large-scale solar development, and as localities consider data centers and utilities propose new transmission infrastructure, farmers and landowners deserve a meaningful seat at the table.

Finally, our farmers need trade policies that open new markets while putting American producers first. We should expand opportunities for Virginia agricultural products abroad while ensuring foreign imports do not undercut our farmers through unfair competition.

It is an honor to represent Virginia, and I will continue fighting to keep agriculture strong and ensure the next generation can farm, compete, and succeed here"

Shannon Taylor
shannontaylorva.com/

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Robert Wittman (Incumbent)

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Shannon Taylor

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Robert Wittman (Incumbent)

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Shannon Taylor

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Robert Wittman (Incumbent)

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Shannon Taylor

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Robert Wittman (Incumbent)

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Shannon Taylor

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Robert Wittman (Incumbent)

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Shannon Taylor

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Robert Wittman (Incumbent)

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Shannon Taylor

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Jen Kiggans (Incumbent)
jenforcongress.com

As a Navy helicopter pilot, nurse practitioner, and mom of four, I've spent my life serving others and solving problems. That's the same approach I've brought to Congress. I'm proud that we've cut taxes for Virginia families, lowered prescription drug costs, supported our veterans, and brought people together to get things done. But there is still more work ahead. I'm running because I love this community, and I want to keep delivering for the people who call it home.

Matt Baker
mattbakerindependent.com

Party candidates have chosen to be part of a system that silences them. That has led to an abdication of Congress's most basic duty: to legislate, negotiate, and find the better compromise. Both parties would rather embrace chaos and polarization than the common good. Nowhere is that clearer than the $40 trillion national debt, built by both parties over 36 years. It is time to make the country - not the parties - the priority.

Elaine Luria
elaineforcongress.com

To make life more affordable for working families in Virginia, end the culture of corruption in Washington that allows politicians to use their offices for personal gain, and pass legislation to lower the cost of living, gas, fertilizer, fuel, and more.

"Bishop" Staten
facebook.com/bishop.staten

This two Party system is in a fight in Congress and it has impeded the Citizens Of this District, their rights, their Freedom, and the people need a new voice someone to stand up to this pay to pay scheme against the working class and lower class. We are being stripped. I'm fighting for the People.

Jen Kiggans (Incumbent)

My priorities come down to making sure Virginia remains a safe, affordable, and strong place to live, work, raise a family, and build a business. That means lowering costs and keeping more money in people's pockets, securing our border and supporting law enforcement, and standing up for our military, veterans, and farmers. Most importantly, my priority is to bring people together to get things done which is why I'm proud to have consistently been rated one of the most bipartisan and most effective lawmakers in Washington.

Matt Baker

1. Defend the Constitution. 2. Fix what is broken and build the future. 3. Deliver for Hampton Roads.

Elaine Luria

Jen Kiggans' unwavering and unabashed support for a disastrous agenda of more war, more corruption, and higher prices has caused real damage right here in our community. First, this reckless war in Iran has not only sent thousands of service members from our community into harm's way fighting another forever war in the Middle East, it has also created a cost of living crisis for working people in Hampton Roads who have to pay more for gas, energy, and other everyday goods. Second, Jen Kiggans' vote to cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid in order to fund tax cuts for billionaires has ripped healthcare away from hundreds of thousands of Virginians and has put Southampton Medical Center in Franklin at-risk of closure, threatening the healthcare of thousands more. Finally, Kiggans has enabled a culture of corruption in Washington that allows politicians to abuse their power, enrich themselves and their allies, and put the interests of working people in Hampton Roads last. My priorities are ending the war in Iran to help make life affordable again for working Virginians, restoring Medicaid funding so that everyone in Hampton Roads has access to high-quality healthcare, and ending the culture of corruption in Congress by banning stock trading for members of Congress and fixing the broken presidential pardon system.

"Bishop" Staten

Affordability, Medicare for all, Infrastructure

Jen Kiggans (Incumbent)

When I talk with Virginia farmers, access to a reliable workforce is one of the biggest challenges I hear about. H-2A reform should make sure workers can get to farms when they are actually needed, give producers more certainty about wage and administrative costs, and expand access where the current program does not fit the realities of modern agriculture. Farmers already deal with enough uncertainty from weather and markets. Their workforce program should not create more.

Matt Baker

Farmers need a program that works, not paperwork that doesn't. I'd codify faster processing timelines with real deadlines, cap program fees so family farms can compete, and extend H-2A eligibility to year-round operations like dairy and livestock, not just seasonal crops. Add predictable wage and housing rules instead of litigating them every cycle. Same deal as my immigration plank: welcome the labor we need, enforce the rules, and stop settling for a broken status quo.

Elaine Luria

The role our farmers play in keeping our economy and our country moving cannot be overstated. As a result, we must ensure that our farmers have access to a predictable and productive labor force. While farmers should prioritize hiring domestic workers, to the extent that they cannot fill those positions, it is essential that the federal government provide a fair and legal avenue for farmers to hire and pay the workers they need. We must make the H-2A visa system easier and fairer, and codify those reforms into law.

"Bishop" Staten

I would propose a Farmers Unlimited Bill, we need our land , our crops and the programs could be given, and the decision To be codified, Problem lies in finding a candidate that would cater to there needs. I will support the H-2A reform. Our Farmers need a way. I have good reasoning for them .

Jen Kiggans (Incumbent)

Future Farm Bills should give Virginia farmers the certainty they need to plan, invest, and pass their farms on to the next generation. I want to ensure farmers have reliable assistance when disasters strike, expand access to capital, invest in agricultural research and new technology, and open new markets for Virginia-grown products. We also need to protect productive farmland and invest in the rural infrastructure that helps our farms, families, and communities grow and thrive.

Matt Baker

Congress has run agriculture policy on extensions for two years - that's neglect, not a plan. I'd pass a full five-year bill on time, protect crop insurance and disaster assistance so one bad season doesn't sink a family farm, and fund Chesapeake Bay conservation programs that keep our working waterways healthy. Reform SNAP oversight without holding farm programs hostage to it. Virginia farmers plan in seasons; Congress should plan in years, not extensions.

Elaine Luria

For decades, the Farm Bill was one bill on which both Democrats and Republicans could put their differences aside and come together for the benefit of the American people. Yet partisan politics on both sides of the aisle have now threatened this legislation which has been critical for helping our farmers and feeding the hungry. We must go back to a five-year Farm Bill that is authorized on time, does not get caught up in partisan political infighting, and meets the needs of American farmers and the American people. In future Farm Bills, I would prioritize ending the unnecessary and unhelpful trade war that is hurting our farmers and forcing American taxpayers to spend billions of dollars to keep farms afloat.

"Bishop" Staten

The Farm & Forest Prosperity Plan, Agrivoltaics Framework, also let me add Tax Exemptions, including farm machinery, livestock, seeds, fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, and specialized fuel for curing or drying crops. Good Things Are coming to my Farmers Hold Tight ... !

Jen Kiggans (Incumbent)

Virginia's farms and rural communities are an important part of our economy, our food supply and who we are as Virginians. So we need to be thoughtful about how growth affects them. As data centers, transmission lines, and large-scale solar projects are developed, we should prioritize responsible siting, protect productive farmland, and make sure local communities have a meaningful voice in the process. We can support innovation and economic growth while still preserving farmlands and this important sector of our economy for generations.

Matt Baker

As an engineer, I see two problems here that need separate fixes. Working lands preservation: new data centers should have to prove they've used already-disturbed ground before touching prime farmland. Resource access: require closed-loop cooling to cut water draw and noise, and require these facilities to bring their own storage and renewables so they don't spike your power costs or crowd farmers out of the grid.

Elaine Luria

The influx of data centers across our Commonwealth and our country present a unique challenge. I have been listening and have heard from Virginians who are concerned that data centers will raise already skyrocketing costs and disrupt their community or their land. At the same time, the U.S. has a vested national security interest in ensuring we have the requisite facilities to compete technologically with China. I believe that any data center being built needs to have support from the local community with no exceptions, cannot raise electricity costs by one cent on any other rate payer, and must have a closed-loop water system to prevent massive water use that negatively impacts the surrounding community. These requirements would reduce the pressure placed on farmers and farm land. We don't have to sell out our farmers or our communities to beat China when it comes to the technologies of the future.

"Bishop" Staten

Data centers are deemed to be on there way out ..we may have a detour already in the making.. at best pay their fair share .. we have to see if they stay I'm not elected yet, but if I had to choose .. the land was first, so it comes first ... and nothing should impede that . Data centers where use to bully our land from us and place this tragedy on our good farmers.

Jen Kiggans (Incumbent)

Farmers need regulatory certainty, especially when it comes to water regulations, crop protection tools, and other rules that directly affect how they manage their land and operate their farms. Those decisions should be practical, consistent, and grounded in sound science. On PFAS, I've worked across the aisle to address contamination at its source. We should focus on keeping PFAS out of wastewater in the first place and establishing clear, science-based standards that protect our water and farmland while preserving safe access to biosolids.

Matt Baker

Farmers shouldn't face a different interpretation of the Clean Water Act every time administrations change - consistency matters to people's livelihoods. When agency expertise isn't respected and courts can't settle it, Congress must pass a lasting statutory definition. On PFAS: stop treating farmers as the problem. Require source-level pretreatment so industrial dischargers keep PFAS out of wastewater, and shield farmers applying permitted biosolids in good faith from liability they didn't create.

Elaine Luria

PFAS chemicals are appearing everywhere-in wastewater, in drinking water, in our food-and we need to do more to regulate them to help our farmers and to help improve the health and safety of the American people. Additionally, we have to end this trade war that has unnecessarily cost our farmers billions of dollars and alienated our allies around the world while doing next to nothing to make us safer or strengthen the American economy.

"Bishop" Staten

The right to farm act has been tainted. Crop protection and wildlife protection seem to be forgotten about ...There are settlements and all kinds of things going on with pollution in water . Drinking water protection is my big concerns. We have to do things the right way and not forget about the controlled help because we don't want to address the issues.

Jen Kiggans (Incumbent)

Farmers need access to safe, reliable tools to protect their crops and keep producing the food our families depend on. Decisions about pesticides and other crop protectants should be based on sound science and the real-world evidence behind how these products are used. We also need clear, consistent rules from lawmakers and federal agencies so farmers can plan with confidence, continue advancing safe practices, and have the certainty they need to successfully operate their farms at scale. My Father is an entomologist and was a cotton insect scout for many years. He later became a salesman for pesticides and aquatic herbicides. I grew up in a household that very much understood and appreciated the need for pesticides to keep food on our tables while at the same time protecting our farms and waterways. My Dad always made sure we knew the importance of pesticides in being able to grow and produce crops.

Matt Baker

Science already did its job - roughly 80 pesticide applications passed EPA review but sit unapproved past legal deadlines. Congress underfunded PRIA by tens of millions in FY2024, and this administration's staff cuts since - nearly a third of EPA - have made it worse, not better. I'll vote to fully fund PRIA, reauthorize it before FY2027, hold EPA to its deadlines, and rehire the staff needed to meet them.

Elaine Luria

Any legislative changes to regulations affecting farmers' use of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants need to be grounded in science and need to weigh the additional input costs we are placing on farmers and the cost of food for consumers. By doing so we can ensure that we protect farmers' access to crop protectants while also protecting food quality and the health and safety of the American people. This is a complex issue and I look forward to ensuring farmers and all of the agricultural community have a seat at the table in my office to discuss these issues and identify solutions.

"Bishop" Staten

Our crop protectants are most important, science is used to take away from the authentic need of access, remember every tactic is to increase the hardship so we can give up this fight, I'm giving the farmer a platform on my watch. No longer Neglected

Bobby Scott (Incumbent)
bobbyscott.house.gov

Edwin Rivera Jr.
edwinriveraforcongress.com

Jennifer McClellan (Incumbent)
jennifermcclellan.com

I first ran for office at the state level 20 years ago to help people and solve problems. After 18 years in the state legislature, I ran for Congress after the untimely passing of Donald McEachin to build on my work to ensure Virginians could access the health care when they need it without going bankrupt, addressing growing energy needs affordably without destroying our planet, and protecting voting, civil, worker and reproductive rights. I am running to continue that work at a time when Americans are facing a cost of living crisis that the President and current Congressional majority have failed to address.

Robert Murray
murrayforcongress.com/

Simple and honest: I wanted to marry my girlfriend and the judicial system won't allow me to do so legally.

The reason why is less simple and more strange, but I'll answer it because I was asked. If you're focused on Virginia Ag, you might skip this personal story that summarizes 3,000+ pages of litigation and a half-dozen top attorneys' advice.

In early 2022, a court lost all copies of my girlfriend's divorce paperwork, divorced her under the wrong paperwork, and when everyone realized the court's error and the court admitted it, all agreed to create new divorce paperwork and hold a new, proper hearing. No harm, no foul. However, her husband (Adam) changed his mind. He grabbed her last living child, kept all their money, and would not cooperate with either her or the court, eventually even ransoming the child for divorce settlement concessions. Bad.

In early 2023, frustrated by the spiraling problems for which the State and County shared responsibility with Adam, a Wisconsin circuit court judge (Bryan D. Keberlein, WISBAR #1061372), decided to falsify divorce paperwork to fix" (conceal) his court's error and liability, among other likely reasons. Bryan claimed that everyone had agreed to it the prior year, and that the divorce was approved by a court officer who had retired seven months earlier. That's fraud — judicial no less.

With my help, my girlfriend appealed the court's decision. Shockingly, the appellate court (Maria S. Lazar (#1017150), Shelly A. Grogan (#1018076), and Lisa S. Neubauer (#1011685) affirmed Bryan's decision, literally rewriting the case to justify doing so. So in 2024, she petitioned the State Supreme Court (declined to hear) and in 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court (declined to hear). So she is stuck, illegally divorced, thus still married, without access to her assets (though her child was eventually returned — a tear-jerking moment), and unable to marry me (or anyone else). If we tried, it would be fraud and we would each face 9 months in jail and $10,000 in fines. So, in 2026, she is now suing the judge and many others in Federal Civil Court for various torts (e.g. deprivation of civil rights, conspiracy) and she is pursuing parallel criminal prosecution. Neither she, nor I, back down from wrongdoing and corruption, even though doing so would have saved at least a million dollars in direct and opportunity costs. Why did we bother and persist?

All it takes for evil to succeed is for good people to do nothing. We did a lot and we're hardly done.

Eventually, her case ceased becoming about her and a few court clowns. Throughout this 4+ year process, she and I have learned a great deal about the problems of family law, State courts, and most relevantly, the Federal mis-incentives that are driving bad behavior in State and Federal courts. Judicial reform is needed as much as any other reform in the U.S. because if we don't have an honest judicial system, we will lose our Republic. And I will transform Family Law (hence my nickname ""Family Man"" in some circles). Congress is the best means for fixing both.

A year ago, we offered every Democrat in Congress the chance to help fix this for all Americans. The Virginia 4th District incumbent, Jenn McClellan, ignored our offer (no response), as did every other Democrat in Congress (so much for civil rights!). Rep. McClellan not only lost a great opportunity to protect every American's rights (instead focusing her support on the narrow LGBTQ+ community), but she picked up a competitor.

That's why I am running for U.S. Congress: to do what Jenn McClellan (nor any other Democrat) wanted to do for America.

Stepping back, I view Congress as an act of public service, not as a career. I want to help how I can and then pass the job on to the next person with a passion to improve our country.

I've worked in 15 countries and helped organizations in most industries to use technology effectively and responsibly. This included local, state, federal (civilian and defense), and international government entities. I will also protect people from the improper and invasive use of technology, including the misuse of surveillance technologies and dropping datacenters where they are not wanted.

I don't know everything, so I look forward to learning from you, my Virginia neighbors, as well as all Americans. I commit to only serving your interests. I can help our country and ask for the opportunity to serve you.

Then I hope to marry my girlfriend and become an official Bonus Dad for her son. Then maybe we'll start a small regenerative farm and live in peace.

Jennifer McClellan (Incumbent)

1. Access to Affordable Healthcare: Everyone deserves access to quality healthcare when they need it without going bankrupt. Costs continue to rise, and the largest cuts to Medicaid in American history threaten to strip over 300,000 Virginians of their health insurance, close rural and safety-net hospitals and clinics, and devastate our state budget. At the same time, expiration of the enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act has priced 100,00 Virginians out of their health insurance. I will work to tackle the health care crisis by reversing Medicaid cuts, increasing funding for rural and safety net providers, strengthening Medicare, and reinstating the enhanced premium tax credits under the ACA. I will also fight to ensure health care decisions remain between patients and providers, without interference from politicians.

2. Energy & Environmental Policy: As a state legislator and now in Congress, I have pursued energy policies that allow us to meet growing demand affordably without destroying our planet in the process. American households have on average 21 devices connected to the internet, from smart phones and tablets, TVs, thermostats and even refrigerators. This number will only grow as AI becomes more intertwined in our daily lives. As a result, energy demand has exploded beyond recent forecasts and infrastructure, straining reliability and increasing costs. The war in Iran, tariffs, and the Trump Administration's roll back of energy efficiency and clean energy investments have exacerbated this problem. We must also continue to pursue all available avenues to strengthen conservation efforts, improve sustainability, and ensure we protect the planet for future generations. This will require an all-hands approach and intentional policy decisions that provide industries with the tools and resources they need. Within the agricultural space, I support voluntary, farmer-led conservation programs that help producers protect soil health, improve water quality, and increase farmland sustainability. I will continue supporting programs such as EQIP, CSP, ACEP, and other conservation initiatives that provide farmers with financial and technical assistance to implement conservation practices that work for their individual operations. I am the lead sponsor of the Coordination for Soil Carbon Research and Monitoring Act, which would develop a strategic plan for federal research, development, and deployment regarding soil carbon sequestration sampling and measurement methodologies, measurement and monitoring technologies, and community needs.

3. Strengthening Our Economy and Lowering Costs: The American people face a cost-of-living crisis that continues to worsen due to the erratic policies of this Administration and a lack of action by the majority in Congress. Over the past month, I traveled around my District and throughout the Commonwealth, talking with Virginians and hearing about the challenges they face. Too many people currently face severe financial burdens as the cost of everything continues to rise. We need to reestablish stability and some level of predictability in the markets to protect the American people, small businesses, our farmers and ranchers, and more. This means ending needless trade wars with our allies and partners, addressing the challenges our farmers and ranchers face instead of undercutting them, and ensuring we negotiate strategically in the ongoing U.S.-Canada-Mexico Agreement's renewal process. As these negotiations continue, I will only support policies that preserve and strengthen market access for American farmers and ranchers. To strengthen our Virginia farm economy, we must take additional steps to support our farmers and ranchers who feel the impacts of these international trade decisions firsthand, including expanding access to affordable credit and capital, strengthening domestic and international markets for agricultural products, investing in agricultural research and innovation, and reducing unnecessary barriers for beginnings and small farmers.

Robert Murray

Health, Wealth, and Civil Rights.

However, I want my priorities to be yours, so share why yours are more urgent than those that I see and I'll work with you to fix whatever is broken. There's a lot to do. For example, safe, affordable living is a big problem for 99% of Americans, including me. For many years, costs have been rising faster than wages, no matter who was in charge. Congress has no way to pay our $40T debt or keep its promises (Medicare-Medicaid, Social Security) and Americans need answers and hope. Worse: Tough times create crime, while A.I., surveillance tech, and datacenters threaten us and our planet.

So, my top priorities are fixing our nation's HEALTH and WEALTH and defending your RIGHTS, such as speech, religion, guns (whether for hunting, sport, or defense), privacy, and equal opportunity. Every adult who has their health and enough wealth can defend their rights, just as my girlfriend and I have been able to do against a rogue judicial system. If we were reliant on the government, we would have had to accept what the government dictates. While our case is rare, during the Covid pandemic, nearly every American made choices that they felt they HAD to make, rather than wanted... just so they could work, shop, learn, travel, pray, and see their loved ones. I will never allow such a civil rights disaster to happen again.

Practically, I will help drive technology solutions that lower healthcare costs, improve access and accelerate treatment with fewer mistakes. These same technologies can help every industry in our economy outpace our global competitors, so we enjoy a better standard of living and feel secure in our retirement. I'll also make sure that technology is only used to improve our lives. And I'll make sure that every American, whether children in K-8 schools working adults, or retirees, are prepared for the technological transformation that our world is undergoing. That includes education so no one is left behind.

Throughout it all, I live by The Golden Rule and will work in Congress by it as well. We need to build bridges between communities, cultures, and politics so that we can unite as a country, but enjoy your individual successes."

Jennifer McClellan (Incumbent)

Virginia farmers need access to a reliable workforce, and when domestic workers are unavailable, the H-2A program must provide a workable, predictable option to provide relief in times of need. I support bipartisan reforms that will modernize the H-2A program by streamlining and expediting application and visa processing, improving coordination among federal agencies, reducing burdensome administrative fees where possible, and ensuring there remains flexibility and long-term certainty for workers and farmers.

Robert Murray

From my research, H-2A workers through the Adverse Effect Wage Rate are critical, yet their wages are only 60% or so of their total cost that includes housing, transportation, and recruitment. I'd like to understand more about why Virginia farmers can't get more applicants for $25-$28/hour when there are tent cities that have begun to crop up on Richmond's south side. Regardless, without quality work, much of the acreage in Virginia wouldn't get harvested and needs solutions to de-risk labor.

Simplified: I'd make H-2A's faster, cheaper, more flexible, and write more into law for less risk. I have a heart, so I'd want to ensure the workers who pick our food are treated with the same respect as farmers.

In more detail, here's what I'd push for in reform legislation:

1. Speed. USDA and DOL should be required by law to process H-2A petitions faster. With technology, they can do so, perhaps down to petitions within 1 day and issue visas within a week, not much differently than the work visas I've received from other countries. Delays can mean missing opportunities or worse, leave crops rotting in the field. Let's get statutory deadlines with consequences, not agency discretion. They work for you because you pay their salaries, and you need them to perform better.
2. Cost. Filing, visa, and related fees per worker seem to cost hundreds of dollars. I'd like to know why these aren't a fraction of those costs, or even free, with the help of technology. I'd like to ensure small farms (<$500k gross) can use H-2A's, not just industrial farms with the scale to process the paperwork. Family farms shouldn't be disadvantaged or excluded from legal labor.
3. Flexibility. H-2A seems limited to seasonal work. I'd support permitting workers to move between approved employers with sponsor approval, so a worker isn't idle one week and another farm is short-handed the next. That's better for workers, too. This could extend into year-round ag sectors like dairies, greenhouses, and even food processing.

Lastly, what's legal is often built from rulemaking, which can shift from one administrator to the next. I don't have a great solution, but I'd like to try to codify into law more of what is important, as that creates consistency in the industry and less risk.

I'm sure I've barely scratched the surface of this complex topic. If elected, I'd welcome ideas and would champion any that make sense, regardless of who they came from.

Jennifer McClellan (Incumbent)

I support passing a Farm Bill that provides relief for farmers and ranchers as they contend with rising input costs, low commodity prices and shrinking markets. Farmers lost between $32.4 million and $105.3 million due to the freeze event earlier this year and are now beginning harvest during a drought. I will support a Farm Bill that includes robust support to provide meaningful economic relief to make our farmers whole.

I support strengthening the farm safety net and crop insurance programs to better reflect rising input costs, unpredictable extreme weather events and a changing market. At the same time, I would like the Farm Bill to protect and support small and mid-sized farms, especially those that are specialty-crop growers, first-generation, historically disadvantaged or century farms working to preserve their legacy for the next generation.

Additionally, I support a Farm Bill that invests in agricultural research, restores and bolsters conservation programs and practices to improve soil health and protect water quality. This important work is in large part due to our land-grant institutions, which are hard at work preparing the next generation of farmers and ranchers, conservationists, scientists and more.

Finally, I support a Farm Bill that recognizes that 1 in 7 people live in food-insecure households, and that Congress has a duty to ensure that the crops and production from our farms reach those who need them most.

Robert Murray

First off, the 2026 Farm Bill (H.R. 7567) is a huge step forward. Just the CRS comparison between it and the 2018 Farm Bill is 150 pages (https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R48918/R48918.4.pdf) and it seems to offer a lot of benefits. However, District 4 incumbent Jenn McClellan voted against it, along with every Virginia Democrat (govtrack.us/congress/votes/119-2026/h154). Perhaps Jenn can explain to you why voted against this overdue Farm Bill, yet she voted to keep spending $Billions of your taxes on ""Democracy"" development programs both here and overseas (H.R. 7006) — I think Virginia farms are far more deserving recipients of such investments. I hope the Senate can pass the bill with few alterations, as I'm sure our President would sign it.

Second, to the extent that overseas military operations affect domestic farms (e.g. fertilizer and diesel costs, tensions and tariffs the impact Virginia farm sales), I feel Congress needs to own the remedy, as it's Congress' responsibility to declare war and do so with a full understanding of the domestic impacts, not merely the overseas goals. Allowing the Executive significant flexibility does not excuse Congress' role in managing the domestic impacts.

Now to simply answer the question: I'd want to ensure legislation properly covers what Virginia grows. I'd encourage research that keeps Virginia farms competitive and ensures that whether someone is just starting a farm or wants to keep it in their family for another generation, they can do so. Virginia is different from the Midwest that dominates most farm bill conversations. I'd want to ensure those differences are well integrated into whatever future legislation passes.

Past government intervention appears to have created dependencies that wouldn't have existed otherwise. I'd like to begin unwinding government from Ag, while ensuring existing issues (insurance, research, credit, conservation) are addressed without creating even bigger problems.

More specifically from my research:

1. Crop insurance that fits our farms. I've heard that there are shortfalls or gaps in coverage for what Virginia farms grow. I'd push for expanded whole-farm revenue protection and policies designed for diversified operations. I've also heard that diversified farms are disadvantaged to mono-crops and if true, I'd like to understand why and see how that can be addressed, as it's counter-intuitive to me.
2. Encourage more specialty crop research. I prefer to encourage private research, but Virginia Tech seems to be everywhere and doing an outstanding job. Further, the Specialty Crop Research Initiative and the program for Specialty Crop Block Grants, seem to offer improved varieties, pest resistance, post-harvest handling. I'd grow those programs, not flatten them.
3. More conservation attention. This is especially the case around the Bay, but also the rivers in District 4 that lead to it. EQIP and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program help pay for fencing cattle out of streams, riparian buffers, and nutrient management plans. I'd like to know that that's enough, or what more is needed. I'd streamline what I've heard is an application backlog, once again through technology automation, because right now it seems to take a year to get funding approved when it should take no more than 30 days.
4. Chesapeake and seafood infrastructure. Oyster/clam aquaculture is one of Virginia ag's fastest-growing segments, yet aquaculture seems to get little attention. Encouraging seafood processing improvements and disease research seem sensible
5. Farm loans. Whether beginning or operating, whether first-time or multi-generation, I'd want to ensure that farms have the liquidity they need, whether through the USDA, other agencies, or via private lenders. Present interest rates are unhelpful and should be addressed, which is a national matter that disproportionately affects agriculture).
6. Forestry and hemp. Timber is a top Virginia ag sector and appears to be Virginia's third-largest private sector industry and a significant export to help our nation's trade deficit (valoggers.org/virginia-timber-industry-key-facts-data-2026). I'd like to see more investment into wood-product innovation and market development, whether or not it's driven by the USDA or encouraged in private enterprise. Hemp has many purposes, even in industry, so whether past policies were wise or foolish, it appears to be a crop in need of federal-state legislative alignment to de-risk the industry and help it develop.

Chances are that you, dear reader, are more of an expert than nearly anyone in Congress, including me, so tell me what you think. My email is info@murrayforcongress.com and I care enough to read, learn, and champion good ideas.

Jennifer McClellan (Incumbent)

Consumers and farmers should not bear the costs associated with data center infrastructure. Given the rapid expansion of data centers, we must ensure communities are consulted early and often and residents have the opportunity to weigh in on these proposed developments in their communities. As Virginia's energy demand grows, I support policies that modernize the grid while preserving farmland and protecting property rights.

I also support policies that balance the needs of the agriculture, energy and technology sectors. Virginia can maintain its lead in technological innovation and clean energy development without sacrificing our responsibility to protect and support the largest private industry in the Commonwealth. To that end, I support agrivoltaics policies that encourage dual land use between agriculture and solar cells, and efforts to encourage the siting of data centers and utility scale solar projects on marginal and brownfield land.

Robert Murray

This is less of an issue for the 4th District than it is for our neighbors, but I can help.

First, I've worked for overseas competitors and left when I learned how they view the information war to be the primary battleground. Our President happens to be right on the need for AI, though I wouldn't mind seeing international treaties that seek to sensibly limit growth in a way that at least encourages efficiency, not just investment.

Second, a key reason that Virginia is prime real estate for datacenters is because of the past investments in NoVA infrastructure (particularly networks) that reduces latency (think: response times). Yes, electrons move quickly, but even at the speed of light, proximity to the ""action"" and network are key.

That said, the primary distress on this topic stems from how this has been done. While largely a state's rights matter, there are levers (via interstate commerce, for example) that Congress can pull to ensure that communities welcome (or comfortably tolerate) information industry development, or finding communities that would more welcome it. It's about either making better, fully transparent deals or finding people who want the deal. Coercion and secrecy ruin good ideas.

It bothers me that many in government seem to care more about watershed conservation than imposing industrialization on our communities. I'm not one of them. We can have our cake and eat it too. We can and should partly fund preservation through datacenter revenues.

Put simply, I'm pro-technology. It has been my career. However the industry can do a more respectful job with greater speed when communities and tech are aligned.

Datacenters are driving energy innovation. So called ""agrivoltaics"" allow livestock (e.g. sheep) to graze under panels and/or crops grow in the alleys. American Farmland Trust has surveyed farmers on their views and there seem to be both environmental and financial benefits through proper cooperation (https://farmland.org/blog/virginia-farmers-share-views-on-solar-in-new-survey-released-by-american-farmland-trust). I'd encourage much more of that.

Lastly, energy distribution resembles our roadways -- not particularly well designed for efficiency or minimal impact. As we look towards the next 250 years of our country, how we supply and distribute energy, as well as computing power, must be cohesively reconsidered.

Jennifer McClellan (Incumbent)

Farmers and ranchers need and deserve a regulatory system that is fact-based and fair, and transparent. I support regulatory reform that appropriately evaluates the costs and benefits of proposed regulations, promotes better coordination among USDA, EPA and other regulatory agencies, and allows for robust stakeholder engagement, so that all perspectives are appropriately evaluated.

PFAS contamination of wastewater can be detrimental to public health and the sustainability of farmland. I support policies that will create robust monitoring of upstream industrial sites known to discharge PFAS so that farmers and their land do not suffer the consequences.

I introduced the bipartisan Department of Defense PFAS Discharge Prevention Act, which would require increased PFAS testing at Department of Defense facilities and help deploy remediation technologies to capture PFAS before it leaves military installations and enters surrounding waterways. I believe we should take similar actions whenever possible to protect our farmland and to hold polluters accountable.

Robert Murray

These seems like truly distinct questions, so I'll answer them separately.

AG regulatory reform:

1. As I said, codify more, regulate less, to give greater consistency to the Ag industry. Less risk = better for all.
2. Pesticides/fungicides. While DDT is history, farmers and consumers are in desperate need of more tailored, less toxic, deterrents and methods that further minimize their use, perhaps through complementary crops that return helpful insects that prey upon the harmful ones. EPA and USDA need to greatly accelerate their reviews of new technologies and dramatic private sector investments should be encouraged. Let's face it: we need crops, consumers are picky, distribution channels destroy farmer's best work, and yet we cannot trade fixes for other harms. I'd welcome endless discussions on how to improve this for our farms, distributors, and consumer health, but at a minimum, we need the best available to be offered as quickly as safely possible.
3. Food safety modernization. Paired with the above, consumers deserve more detailed labeling and third party testing. This cannot burden farms and distributors, but it must be fixed so that it's crystal clear what is being offered for sale, including any treatments, preservatives, modifications, etc. The default is organic, non-GMO, pesticide free. Everything beyond that, from farm to fork, should be listed and organizations like EWG can really help inform consumers. Fortunately, testing seems to be really improving and may be done downstream.
4. While estate taxes are largely state issues, I'd like to ensure that family farms stay in the family if desired, rather than lost when the real estate tax values exceed the family's liquidity, leading to a break-up. This is wrong and I'll bet that there are federal tools that could offset this burden while respecting state's rights.

PFAS and "forever chemicals" like PFOA, PFOS ... In general, I'm aware and care that PFAS contamination threatens our water supplies, land, and biosolids (a cheap nutrient source and a big disposal outlet for municipalities). The EPA just released draft guidance on July 1, 2026 - non-binding, voluntary — with the public comment deadline just extended to October 5, 2026 (Docket EPA-HQ-OW-2026-2509). With it, the EPA is trying to provide recommendations that may be helpful to operators of wastewater treatment plants, landowners and farmers, water agencies, and the public.

1. Laser focus on the source (chemical manufacturing, metal finishing, landfills) not the clean-up. We need to get control of this by setting tough limits, urgent timelines, and enforcement mechanisms so industry takes this seriously. It's a mess. It's going to cost. We've learned from the nuclear industry and can employ similar controls. PFAS may be better replaced than managed long-term, but given the shock that dramatic intervention might create, we need to look at tax breaks to aid the transition. Clear, national standards make more sense than a patchwork of state laws, particularly when these chemicals might outlast our state borders! (e.g.)
2. Shield farmers. PFAS should be designated a manufacturer responsibility (consistent with CERCLA polluter pays" principles targeting producers, as EPA signaled in 2024-2025). The entity that profited from the chemistry owes for the cleanup, not the farmer who applied sludge in good faith under an EPA-approved program before we all got wiser.
3. Encourage research. Support treatment and destruction technologies (e.g. incineration, pyrolysis) at municipal water plants, and tech like foam fractionation that can pull PFAS out of liquid streams. Maybe start pointing those datacenters into analyzing the best solutions!
4. Tough question. Tougher problem.

Jennifer McClellan (Incumbent)

I support a strong, science-based federal pesticide regulatory system that provides farmers with certainty while protecting public health, agricultural workers and the environment. I also support continued investment in research and development of new, safe and reliable crop protectants so farmers have the tools and resources they need for their farm operations.

Robert Murray

I feel I've answered this above, but in brief: we must invest heavily into better techniques and deterrents, not merely chemicals, to balance productivity with the health of consumers and nature. Transparency into labeling is key to incentivizing better consumer choices that lead to better choices from our farms and distributors.

Lastly, with a background in engineering and a minor in physics, I feel few terms have been weaponized and politicized more than ""science"". I'm disappointed in how the once pristine science journals have been driven away from clear studies, clear data, and clearly verifiable results. Science does not validate; science offers hints.

John McGuire (Incumbent)
mcguireva.com

I'm seeking re-election to continue serving the people of Virginia's 5th District with the same commitment that has defined my life, as a Navy SEAL, small business owner, father, and conservative leader. My experiences, from overcoming a difficult childhood and a life-threatening injury to defending our nation and building a business, forged in me a deep drive to put service first. In Congress, I'm fighting to keep America First and Virginia First: securing our border, cutting wasteful spending, lowering costs for families, supporting our veterans and law enforcement, protecting life, defending the Second Amendment, and advancing a vision for a stronger, freer country. The people of this district deserve a fighter who will never stop working for their values and their future. That's why I'm running to keep serving them.

Tom Perriello
tomperriello.com

I am running for Congress to end the attacks on our rural communities from a Congress bankrupting rural health services, from the trade wars and foreign wars sending fuel and fertilizer prices through the roof, and from Big Tech abusing eminent domain to tear through farmlands with transmission lines and data centers. I refuse donations from lobbyists and corporate PACs so that I can always fight for the people to get a fair shot against the powerful.

John McGuire (Incumbent)

My priority is to make Virginia's Fifth District the best place to live, work, and raise your family in peace. My three main priorities as your Congressman are focused on delivering practical results for the people of Virginia's Fifth District:

1. Secure our border and protect American communities. We need effective policies that stop illegal crossings, address the strain on local resources, support our law enforcement, and ensure our communities remain safe and orderly for families and workers.
2. Lower costs and strengthen the economy, including our vital agriculture sector. That means cutting unnecessary regulations, supporting energy production to bring down prices, expanding opportunities for hardworking families, and backing Virginia's farmers with reliable infrastructure, fair markets, and policies that help them thrive and feed our nation.
3. Defend our national security interests at home and abroad. As a Navy SEAL veteran, I will work to keep our military strong, support our service members and veterans, and ensure America can protect its people and interests wherever they are challenged.

Tom Perriello

I am running to get costs down, corruption out, and common sense back behind the wheel. I am fighting to bring down costs by ending trade wars and the war in Iran that, together, have cost the average Virginia family $3700. I am fighting to restore the middle class health care tax credits and the Medicaid cuts before we see even more of our rural hospitals and clinics close. And I will vote to block members of Congress from trading stocks or taking the dark money donations corrupting our politics.

John McGuire (Incumbent)

I support our farmers and understand the serious labor shortages they face, particularly during critical planting and harvest seasons. We need a secure border and strong enforcement of our immigration laws while recognizing that agriculture depends on a reliable legal workforce. I support efforts to streamline the H-2A application process and make it faster, simpler, and more predictable for farmers facing seasonal labor shortages. At the same time, we must put American workers first, strengthen verification and enforcement, and crack down on abuse and illegal labor. A secure border and a reliable legal agricultural workforce can go hand in hand, ensuring farmers have the workers they need while protecting opportunities for American workers.

Tom Perriello

The H-2A program is essential to Virginia's agricultural economy, and it is long overdue for serious reform. I hear from farmers every week that the processing delays, high program fees, and regulatory uncertainty create constant headaches and serious costs for their operations. Our farmers deserve greater clarity and efficiency.

At the same time, the hard-working people who hold H-2A visas and make our agricultural sector possible deserve to earn a fair wage, have their rights protected, and have the promises made through these programs honored. I support reforms that reduce red tape, bureaucratic barriers and delays, and ensure that promises made to our farmworkers are honored. I commit to working with farmers, agricultural organizations, and advocates to get H-2A reform right, and to keep our farms secure for another generation. While recent changes to allow H-2A visas for dairy farms around Virginia is an improvement, we must ensure a path to citizenship for many folks who serve as the backbone of our local agricultural processing economy. Farming isn't temporary and for many, it isn't seasonal. Folks need long-term solutions for farm labor and our current bureaucratic system is hampering District 5 farmers' bottom line.

Finally, a broken health care system is hurting local farmers, many of whom have to pick up second jobs as school bus drivers and factory workers just to have the peace of mind that comes with health care, if hardships arise. I'm working so that our farmers and other small business owners don't have to worry that their families will be cared for because health care - not just coverage but a clinic open nearby - is a right of the people, not a privilege for the few.

John McGuire (Incumbent)

I was proud to introduce H.R. 1487, the Agricultural and Forestry Hauling Efficiency Act, as my first bill in Congress. My bill would increase the federal maximum weight allowance to 90,000 pounds on interstate highways for trucks hauling agricultural and forest products. This would help farmers and loggers feed and fuel our country by making it easier to move their products across the Commonwealth, directly from their farms to processors.

In future Farm Bills, I would like to see greater transportation and hauling flexibility for our farmers and loggers. Virginia's agriculture and forestry industries rely on our high-speed highways to deliver goods and products across the Commonwealth. Including provisions similar to my bill in future Farm Bills would help reduce transportation costs and strengthen the competitiveness of the Commonwealth's farmers and loggers.

Tom Perriello

Virginia farmers have been operating under extensions of the 2018 Farm Bill for too long. The uncertainty hurts planning, investment, and the long-term viability of farm operations across the Fifth District.

When I first served in congress, I helped secure federal funding to support anaerobic digester projects for dairy farmers in Pittsylvania county that converted cow manure into methane gas, generating clean energy and creating a second crop they could sell back to the grid. I would support the Farm Bill expanding support for distributed power production as ""second crop"" farming, including requirements that regulated monopolies purchase power produced by farmers at market rates. I would fight for robust crop insurance and disaster assistance programs for the commodity and specialty crop producers of the Fifth District, expand access to credit for beginning and young farmers, and ensure that the Farm Bill's rural broadband investments actually reach the communities in this district that are still waiting for reliable internet.

Just last year, nearly 400 Virginia family farms were lost. That's 400 families, businesses, family incomes. I'll fight for real incentives to keep farmland productive and for thoughtful development that doesn't endanger our local economy and food security and novel approaches to generational land transfer so that older farmers can retire with dignity while making way for the next generation of producers. In 2026, our Region experienced an unprecedented late frost that caused hardship for many local specialty crop producers. We need reforms in the farm bill to ensure that farmers are taken care of when hardship occurs. Incentives for local dairy and beef production facilities are key for many farmers in this region so that we build on the agricultural economy of this commonwealth.

John McGuire (Incumbent)

The development of data centers is necessary for U.S. national security and for maintaining our competitiveness with China and other foreign adversaries. However, the concerns and needs of local communities must be respected. The development of data centers, transmission lines, and large-scale solar projects should not come at the expense of valuable farmland or other critical local resources. It is imperative that the needs and concerns of local communities are carefully considered and addressed before development begins. If a proposed data center were to affect the water table or the community is opposed to the project, the project should not move forward.

Tom Perriello

I am standing with communities across our region in the fight against the Valley Link transmission line and new data centers. For years, I helped these communities fight to defeat the Atlantic Coast pipeline, and how a new set of corporations see our rural communities as a place to extract and carve up, with disregard for our farmland, environment, and property rights. Because I have always refused donations from corporate PACs and from Dominion, when I ran for Governor, I have been able to put the interests of our people first.

Valley Link is threatening hundreds of acres of prime farmland across this district. I oppose Valley Link, which would cut through nine counties, impose 150-foot high voltage towers across family farms and natural habitats, and offer virtually nothing in return to the communities bearing the costs.

My position is clear: local communities must have a democratic voice in whether to allow projects such as data centers. Eminent domain is necessary at times for the public interest, but should not be abused to promote private profit, which is the case with Valley Link, as 100% of the power it produces is slated for data centers in Northern Virginia that profit Big Tech companies far away. For me, opposition to Valley Link and related projects is not a policy position to put in a press release. It is an active fight where I am already organizing with community groups, raising money for litigation efforts, and preparing to use every lever in my Congressional office, were I to win, to prevent this project from proceeding.

Personally, likely effects of data centers on our water and electricity capacities are terrifying. Federal mandates exist for working within waterways and open spaces. We should place common sense mandates on closed-loop cooling and renewable power generation wherever possible. Corporations should have to negotiate in good-faith, not cloaked in non-disclosure agreements and closed-door meetings. Nearly 80% of rural Virginians depend on well water for their families and current data center water consumption threatens this finite resource in a Region that is already undergoing annual drought conditions.

John McGuire (Incumbent)

Agricultural regulations should be practical, science-based, and focused on protecting farmers and consumers without placing unnecessary burdens on producers. When it comes to biosolids, I do not believe there should be regulations preventing farmers from using biosolids produced on their own farms on that same farmland. Farmers should have access to reliable testing and clear standards so they can safely use biosolids as fertilizer while protecting the health of our farmland and communities. I am also a strong proponent of increasing fertilizer production in the United States and making fertilizer more affordable for farmers.

Tom Perriello

Farmers should not bear the cost of pollution they did not cause. PFAS contamination of biosolids is exactly that problem - forever chemicals produced by manufacturers end up in fertilizer that farmers have applied in good faith for decades, and those farmers can face devastation when contamination is discovered. The federal government has been dangerously slow to act while states like Virginia have had to lead.

Virginia got this right this session. The bipartisan legislation that passed the General Assembly is the model for what federal policy should look like. I would push to codify that approach at the federal level: mandatory testing of all biosolids for PFAS before land application, clear enforceable thresholds based on the best available science, and a requirement that biosolids suppliers bear the cost of testing and disclose results to farmers before application. Farmers who have had their land contaminated through no fault of their own deserve federal remediation support and a clear legal path to hold the manufacturers who put PFAS into the waste stream accountable for the cleanup.

The goal is to make biosolids safe enough to use, not to ban them outright - but safe means tested, with real standards, and with the costs falling on the polluters who caused this problem rather than the farmers who trusted a federally approved product.

John McGuire (Incumbent)

Our farmers need fewer regulations, not more. Farmers have relied on pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers for decades. The use of these products has not only made American farms more efficient but has also helped keep them afloat during times of economic uncertainty.

Tom Perriello

American farmers produce the safest, most abundant food supply in the world, because they have access to the tools that make it possible. Decisions about the availability of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other crop protectants - like all good public policy - must be grounded in rigorous, peer-reviewed science.

I support a transparent, science-based EPA registration and re-evaluation process that gives farmers as much regulatory certainty as possible, provides timely reviews, and does not remove tools from the market absent credible scientific evidence of harm. Science-based decision making should create greater predictability for farmers and protections for consumers, farmworkers and rural communities.

Since 1926, Virginia Farm Bureau has provided support to our farming community in so many ways. I applaud that and I want to support it as the next 5th District House Representative. Several of the tools farmers use include Nutrient Management Plans(NMP) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM). These are tried and true practices grounded in data that inform folks on necessary nutrient loads and multi-faceted ways to protect crops from pests. We must build on the work that has been done and ensure that farmers have access to these tools so that we use evidence-based research to make decisions relating to application of pesticides and herbicides. I will champion increased research into effective crop and animal protections that will simultaneously ensure clean water for District 5's future generations. Virginia Farm Bureau has set a great example for all of us and I look forward to building upon this work in Washington D.C.

Ben Cline (Incumbent)
bencline.com

Growing up in Rockbridge County, I learned the importance of hard work and giving back to the community. Serving the people of the Sixth District of Virginia as their Representative in Congress has been the honor of a lifetime, and I am running for a fifth term so that the voices of the people of Rockbridge County can continue to be heard as Congress debates the critical issues facing our country.

Beth Macy
bethmacyforcongress.com

I believe that we live in the most politically corrupt era of our lifetimes. Politicians and their billionaire cronies get trillions in tax breaks and slush funds, while hard-working families have to decide between buying a gallon of milk or a gallon of gas. Farmers are strangled by high input costs caused by tariffs, ruinous trade policies and a ridiculous war of choice in Iran. Veterans are losing healthcare and benefits they were promised. Foreign countries get sweetheart deals to import beef, which stabs our cattlemen and cattlewomen in the back. We can make better choices and change course. I want to return power to the people.

Ben Cline (Incumbent)

There are three main priorities I'm focused on. The first is making sure I-81 continues to be the economic backbone of our area. It has limitations that need to be addressed so that it can continue to support all of the industries - agriculture, manufacturing, etc. - that has helped make the Roanoke and Shenandoah Valleys the best place to live and raise a family. To address this, I have secured millions of dollars in supplemental federal funding to widen the interstate. Our farmers need I-81 to run smoothly!

Another top priority continues to be the high cost of living. While inflation has come down from the record levels of the last administration, costs are still too high. By eliminating the wasteful spending of the Pelosi/Biden years, attacking fraud in bloated government programs, and removing the burdensome regulations that are forcing small businesses to cut back or close down entirely, we can continue to bring inflation rates down and help working families across our part of Virginia.

As a member of the House Appropriations Committee's Subcommittee on Agriculture, one of my top priorities continues to be looking after our farmers and fostering the best business environment I can in Congress to ensure consistency, affordability, and prosperity. In the Sixth District, farming isn't just a career, it's our lives, and I go to work every day with a plan to enhance farmers' quality of life.

Beth Macy

Reducing costs for Virginia families by ending the tariff war, rescinding tax cuts for billionaires and working for more peaceful solutions in the Middle East to bring down energy costs, while investing in renewable energy that's cheap, reliable and doesn't thrust us into forever wars. The billionaire tax cuts will instead be used to restore ACA subsidies and rescind the Medicaid cuts which will throw 300,000 Virginians off their insurance.

I support a moratorium on data centers until guardrails are in place that guarantee our drinking water is safe, energy costs don't skyrocket and AI doesn't destroy our children's and grandchildren's jobs. Big Tech will pay the costs associated with data centers and AI's impact.

I support comprehensive immigration reform that will secure our borders and provide our farms with the foreign-born workforce that is essential to America's agricultural industry.

Ben Cline (Incumbent)
bencline.com

The agriculture sector has certainly benefited from legal immigration and work visas such as the H-2A program, but unfortunately Biden's broken border created an illegal immigration crisis. We must continue to support efforts to secure our border and enforce our immigration laws, while making sure our legal immigration system serves the interests of farmers and providing them with a ready workforce. That's why I support the Trump Administration's June 2026 DHS policy memorandum clarifying that dairy operations can now qualify for the H-2A program.

Beth Macy

I have met with scores of farmers in the 6th District, and several members of my campaign team come from farming families, so I know how important immigrants are to our agricultural workforce. (If you complain about immigrants, don't do it with your mouth full!) Congress must pass legislation to allow year-round H2A visas, which would help farms that rely on more than just seasonal help. Agriculture is Virginia's largest industry with an $82.3 billion impact, and farmers and workers must not live in fear that masked federal agents will raid farms and workplaces. We can have sensible immigration policies that protect our valued farm workers.

Ben Cline (Incumbent)

A strong safety net for Virginia farmers, particularly those in the Sixth District, has been coming together in two pieces. Last year's One Big Beautiful bill locked in a permanent, higher estate-tax exemption, preserved stepped-up basis, stronger crop insurance, and expanded Dairy Margin Coverage, and it created the first ever crop insurance pilot for contract poultry growers. The House-passed 2026 Farm Bill builds on that by reauthorizing conservation, rural development, research, and specialty-crop programs and restoring regulatory certainty on things like pesticide labeling. Although I am glad that OBBB provided a higher, permanent estate-tax exemption, I will continue to advocate for a full repeal of the estate tax, while protecting stepped-up basis, so farms can be passed on from one generation to the next.

Beth Macy

Here are some highlights from a long list: Small beef producers need better and quicker access to processing; we need truthful country-of-origin labeling that doesn't allow beef raised outside the US to be labeled as "Made in the USA;" we need programs to support young farmers and ensure they have a future in agriculture; we should codify right-to-repair, so farmers don't have to rely on expensive corporate mandates that limit repair options and void warranties; we need to protect the farm safety net in an age of changing weather that devastates crops; we must guarantee crop insurance is affordable. Page 297 of Project 2025 recommends increasing federal crop insurance premiums by 25%. I won't let that happen.

Ben Cline (Incumbent)

Technological innovation is important and Congress should not stifle innovation, especially when it can benefit our farmers. However, I believe that our part of Virginia is not the place for massive data center development, and I support those counties in the Sixth District that have voted to ban it in order to protect our farmland from data center development. In Congress, I have voted for transparency measures that would require the Secretary of Energy to establish and maintain a publicly available and searchable database of all current and future data center projects across the U.S. I also support the bipartisan Ratepayer Protection Act (H.R. 9340), which would require that state public electric utility commissions make data centers pay their own way, instead of passing these electricity costs onto American consumers.

Beth Macy

I support a national moratorium on all data center construction until guardrails are in place that protect our farmland, our water, our air and force Big Tech to pay for all utilities and ensure that AI doesn't destroy our children's and grandchildren's jobs. There must be a federal role in data center planning, it cannot be a piecemeal, state by state, county by county, town by town approach. We must contain data centers and AI before they control us. We can live with technological changes — farmers employ high-tech tools daily, from dairy farms to apple packhouses — but we must save our farmland, our planet and our children's future.

Ben Cline (Incumbent)

My focus has been to protect farmers in the Sixth District from being punished for contamination they didn't cause. I supported this year's Agriculture appropriations bill, which funds a Center of Excellence to research how PFAS moves through the agriculture landscape, how animals take it up, and how residues behave in meat and dairy. I also worked with my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to stop EPA from rushing to act on a Biden-era biosolids assessment that was later found to have serious methodological flaws, because farmers shouldn't lose access to a widely used product based on shaky analysis. And I've backed broader spending restraint at the EPA to keep the agency focused on real, science-based priorities.

Beth Macy

PFAs are "forever chemicals" that are a threat to water, livestock, communities and to the farming families themselves, so protections must be in place. The public is clear that it wants cancer-causing PFAs out of the environment and drinking water. Virginia Tech determined in 2013 that some biosolid antibiotics were creating resistant bacteria, which threatens humans and livestock. Farmers need incentives for keeping water clean, including fencing livestock out of streams, stopping erosion, managing waste and fertilizer runoff. Congress can provide incentives in the form of grants or tax credits. Biosolids can be a cheap, organic fertilizer, but PFAs must be kept out of the environment.

Ben Cline (Incumbent)

Crop protectants are some of the most heavily tested products a farmer uses, and are essential to feeding this country. My job as your congressman is to make sure our farmers have access to the safe, effective tools the EPA has reviewed and approved, and the certainty to plan around them.

Beth Macy

You can't grow fruit in Virginia without fungicides or insecticides, especially in an era of increased pests and more fungal problems due to changing weather that makes summers hotter and more humid. The public also wants to know its food is safe from contamination. I support science-based decisions to ensure farmers and orchardists have access to safe chemicals for robust crops while keeping our food, our children and our farmers healthy.

Eugene Vindman (Incumbent)
vindmanforcongress.com

I came to Congress to solve problems, challenge a broken status quo, and put people ahead of powerful interests. Delivering tangible results for Virginians would remain my priority in my second term. Whether it is improving care for veterans, supporting our farmers, standing up for underserved communities, protecting federal workers, strengthening our national security, or bringing federal resources back to our communities, my job is to make government work for the people I represent.

Taner Demirci Lopez
lopezforva.com

I am seeking this position because I believe public service should focus on practical solutions to the challenges facing Americans. I came to the United States as an immigrant and, through hard work and the opportunities this country provided me, earned my master's degree and Ph.D., became a university professor, and later served as a cultural advisor supporting the Department of Defense.

I am running for Congress because I want to bring that experience and a problem-solving approach to public service. As the Libertarian candidate for Virginia's 7th Congressional District, my priorities include protecting individual and property rights, reducing unnecessary government spending and taxation, limiting federal overreach, and developing practical legislative proposals for the people I would represent.

Doug Ollivant
dougforvirginia.com

To restore common sense, conservative, values-based leadership to Virginia.

Eugene Vindman (Incumbent)

I am running for reelection because there is still much more work to do to lower costs for working families, tackle corruption, and deliver tangible results for the Virginians I represent. Everywhere I go, I hear from Virginians struggling with the rising costs of groceries, housing, health care, and utilities. I will keep taking on the powerful interests that drive up costs and fighting for policies that put working families ahead of corporate profits.

Taner Demirci Lopez

1. Reducing the cost and size of government: I support lower taxes, responsible federal spending, fewer unnecessary regulations, and a smaller, more accountable federal government.
2. Protecting individual and property rights: I believe government should respect private property, individual liberty, and local communities while avoiding unnecessary federal interference in decisions that can be made closer to home.
3. Putting American resources toward domestic needs: I support prioritizing taxpayers, veterans, infrastructure, economic opportunity, and essential needs here at home rather than excessive overseas spending and involvement in foreign conflicts.

Doug Ollivant

A manufacturing renaissance for Virginia, powered by a policy of energy abundance that generates power where needed so as not to string power lines across the Commonwealth's farms, battlefields, and backyards.

A policy of good food for good health, powered by common sense, science-based approaches and regenerative agriculture that maximizes local processing and direct-to-consumer sales.

An emphasis on reduction of fraud in all its forms and accountability for those having perpetrated and permitted such fraud.

Eugene Vindman (Incumbent)

I think the application process for H-2A visas needs to be made faster and more predictable and we need to simplify the process for allowing experienced workers to return. Additionally, we must make it easier to amend start dates, contract periods, worksites, and duties when weather, crop conditions, natural disasters, or other circumstances outside a producer's control change labor needs.

Taner Demirci Lopez

I support reforming the H-2A program to make legal agricultural employment more efficient and predictable. I would support faster and more coordinated processing across federal agencies, reduced unnecessary administrative costs and duplicative paperwork, and a simplified process for employers with a demonstrated record of compliance.

I have also proposed the American Controlled Immigration Workforce and Security Act, known as the 10-12 Act. My proposal would allow eligible undocumented individuals already in the United States to register, undergo background checks, receive legal authorization to work, and enter a ten-year compliance process. This could expand the lawful domestic workforce available to employers, including agriculture, while bringing workers who are currently outside the legal system into a regulated and accountable one.

I believe these issues should be addressed together: improve H-2A for agricultural employers who legitimately need temporary foreign workers while creating a controlled legal workforce from eligible individuals who are already living and working in the United States.

Doug Ollivant

Such policies should not be presented as an either/or with regard to immigration policy, but as a both/and which enhances the integrity of foreign worker visas while enforcing existing immigration standards. Our laws and regulations should be enforced fairly and without prejudice. Insofar as present regulations and proposed reforms strive for a win-win for Virginia (and American) farmers I am broadly in agreement with such an approach.

Eugene Vindman (Incumbent)

In the 2026 Farm Bill, I was proud to secure four provisions, the most of any Democrat, that would make it easier for farmers and rural businesses to lower their energy costs, cut red tape for small, low-risk Farm Credit institutions, break down barriers that keep farms from producing organic goods, and combat the invasive spotted lanternfly. I will only support future Farm Bills that support American farmers, lower costs, and help feed working families.

Taner Demirci Lopez

I would like future Farm Bills to focus on keeping Virginia agriculture economically viable while reducing unnecessary federal bureaucracy.

First, I support expanding market access for Virginia farmers and reducing regulatory barriers that make it harder for small and family farms to sell their products directly to consumers and compete in domestic and international markets.

Second, I support protecting working farms from development pressure through tax policy rather than creating additional federal spending programs. I am interested in reforms that ensure an operating family farm is not treated for federal tax purposes as though it were already a subdivision, data center, or commercial development simply because surrounding development has increased the land's speculative value.

Third, I support agricultural workforce reform. Farmers who cannot find sufficient domestic labor should have access to a faster, simpler and more predictable legal-worker system, while American workers continue to receive the first opportunity for available jobs.

Finally, future Farm Bills should give farmers greater flexibility and reduce federal micromanagement. Federal agricultural policy should provide a fair framework for risk management, trade and food security while allowing farmers-not Washington-to make the day-to-day decisions about how they operate their farms.

Doug Ollivant

Virginia has a unique blend of major agriculture and smaller farms that provide food-to-table services to the restaurant industry. I will continue to support any legislation that empowers small farmers and restaurant owners. I look forward to strengthening the provisions in the Farm Bill and anticipate positive improvements in the Senate version of the bill.

Eugene Vindman (Incumbent)

Virginia should welcome innovation, but not at any cost. I regularly hear from folks concerned about rising energy costs, environmental impacts, and data center/transmission line siting. I share these concerns and believe data centers shouldn't be near National Parks, schools, or residences. Rural communities should not shoulder the costs and consequences of transmission infrastructure for everyone else - and I am fighting to make sure Virginians' electric rates do not increase because of these facilities.

Taner Demirci Lopez

I believe Virginia can remain a national leader in technology and energy development without sacrificing productive farmland or the property rights of rural communities.

I have proposed the Data Center Community Consent Act because I do not believe major development should simply be imposed on the people and property owners who bear its consequences. My proposal would require meaningful local approval and an impact assessment before very large data center projects move forward, with particular attention to neighboring property owners, agricultural land, infrastructure, water, and other community impacts.

For transmission infrastructure, I support using existing utility and transportation corridors whenever technically feasible rather than unnecessarily cutting new corridors through productive farms. Virginia has recently moved in this direction by establishing a policy of prioritizing existing utility and highway corridors for new transmission facilities.

For solar development, I support renewable energy while protecting prime agricultural soils. Solar projects should be directed toward appropriate land, rooftops, brownfields, existing developed areas, and other lower-impact locations whenever practical. I also support agrivoltaics, where agriculture and energy generation can genuinely coexist without substantially displacing agricultural production. Virginia law now recognizes agrivoltaics as a model that must sustain commercial agricultural production while generating energy.

My principle is that technological progress and agriculture do not have to be opponents. We should build the infrastructure America needs while respecting property rights, preserving productive farmland, and ensuring that the communities most affected by major projects have a meaningful voice in those decisions.

Doug Ollivant

Virginia can fix a lot of problems with strong economic growth, yet we have a bad habit of using 20th century solutions to solve 21st century problems. Paul Harvey may not be a household name anymore, but I am often reminded of his quote that despite all our advances and pretensions, America survives on six inches of topsoil and whether or not it rains. I am openly prepared to discuss the merits or demerits of data centers, commercial and industrial growth, and affordable housing. Yet there needs to be a recognition — not a balance, but a recognition — that our agriculture industry is not just meritorious but a bedrock and an advantage that should not be tossed aside cheaply in the pursuit of short-term gain.

Eugene Vindman (Incumbent)

We must expand REAP to lower energy costs for producers and back emerging renewable energy tech for farms. We also need to reduce regulatory burdens and costs for farm credit institutions. Regarding PFAS, I am a cosponsor of the PFAS National Drinking Water Standard Act which would codify EPA's 2024 rules that established enforceable maximum contaminant levels (MCLs) for six of the most hazardous PFAS chemicals, including PFOA and PFOS, in public drinking water systems.

Taner Demirci Lopez

I support reviewing agricultural regulations that impose unnecessary costs, duplicative paperwork, or delays on farmers without providing a demonstrated public benefit. In particular, permitting and reporting requirements should be coordinated across agencies so farmers are not repeatedly providing the same information to different levels of government. Regulations should protect health, property, water, and food safety while giving farmers as much freedom as possible to manage their own operations.

On PFAS and biosolids, I believe we should focus regulation primarily at the source of the contamination. Farmers should not become the final party responsible for pollution introduced upstream by industrial or commercial sources.

I support requiring appropriate PFAS monitoring of significant industrial wastewater sources and using pretreatment or source-reduction requirements when elevated PFAS levels are identified. Wastewater facilities should also test biosolids before they are distributed for agricultural use so farmers have reliable information about what is being applied to their land.

The objective should not simply be to eliminate the agricultural use of biosolids. When they meet scientifically established safety standards, biosolids can remain a useful fertilizer and soil amendment. The better long-term solution is to prevent excessive PFAS from entering the wastewater system in the first place.

My principle is straightforward: regulate pollution as close to its source as possible rather than placing the burden on farmers at the end of the chain.

Doug Ollivant

The first step is awareness, because I doubt seriously that many Americans know or understand what PFAS or 'forever chemicals' are in our water supply and how that impacts Virginia, not just on the state side of the equation through stormwater management but through the Chesapeake Bay Act and the impact on Virginia fisheries and oyster farmers. One thing is clear: farmers should not be left holding the bag on forever chemicals in our water supply.

Eugene Vindman (Incumbent)

As the only Virginian on the House Agriculture Committee, I understand that crop protectants are a critical tool for producing the resources necessary to keep Virginia communities fed. I believe that decisions about how pesticides are used in communities should not be dictated entirely from Washington and that we can promote regulatory clarity without stripping local governments of a say - or closing courthouse doors to families who believe they have been harmed.

Taner Demirci Lopez

I believe farmers should have the freedom to choose the crop-protection products that best fit their farms, provided those products meet established science-based safety standards. Government should not remove useful pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides from the market simply because of political pressure unsupported by credible scientific evidence.

At the same time, I strongly support transparency. Farmers should have clear information about the products they use, and consumers should be able to know how the food they purchase was produced. Rather than unnecessarily restricting choices, we should encourage accurate and understandable disclosure while protecting farmers from duplicative or burdensome requirements.

This allows different agricultural markets to coexist. Some consumers may prefer conventional products, others organic products, and others may specifically seek products produced using particular agricultural practices. Farmers should be free to serve those different markets, and consumers should be free to choose among them.

My approach is simple: establish science-based safety standards, require honesty and transparency, and then allow farmers and consumers-not politicians-to make the choice.

Doug Ollivant

The cheap availability of good food is a modern miracle of the free market. We should do everything possible to improve that condition. Insofar as there is disagreement, we should allow the science to inform our decision-making process, including helping local farmers adapt best practices, transparency as tool for consensus rather than a weapon for the heckler's veto, and then trusting families decide for themselves what foods they buy and consume. Apples are preferable to Oreos, but I don't see Oreos going out of style anytime soon.

Donald Beyer Jr. (Incumbent)
friendsofdonbeyer.com

No Response

Shelly Arnoldi
shellyarnoldi4va.org

I am a Navy veteran, professional engineer, and mother running to restore accountability and make government work for citizens. I will defend Virginia agriculture, reduce costly red tape, enforce the law, and ensure farmers-not unelected agencies or special interests-shape agricultural policy. For example, I would push agencies to consult directly with producers before issuing rules that affect planting, livestock operations, nutrient management, or land use.

Tony Sabio
sabioforcongress.com

I am running for Congress because public service should be about service, not politics. My career in the military, Secret Service, CIA, business, and local government taught me that leadership means accepting responsibility and accomplishing the mission. I want to lower costs, expand opportunity, strengthen our security, and restore confidence in the American Dream. America's greatest days are still ahead of us if we have leaders willing to unite our country.

Donald Beyer Jr. (Incumbent)

No Response

Shelly Arnoldi

Cut federal waste and delays that raise food costs; make legal farm-labor programs workable while enforcing immigration law; and protect prime farmland and rural infrastructure from poorly sited data centers, transmission lines, and utility-scale projects.

For example, I would support permitting reforms that stop projects from tying up farms, roads, water, and power capacity without proving real local benefit.

Tony Sabio

My priorities are affordable and reliable American energy, a new private-sector jobs ecosystem, and safe and secure communities. I want Northern Virginia and Virginia's rural communities to prosper through technology, manufacturing, skilled trades, small businesses, and agriculture. Government should create the conditions for opportunity-not stand in its way. That means lower costs, fewer unnecessary barriers, reliable energy, secure borders, and an economy where working families, farmers, and entrepreneurs can succeed.

Donald Beyer Jr. (Incumbent)

No Response

Shelly Arnoldi

I would create one streamlined application process, shorten approval times, reduce fees, expand eligibility for year-round agricultural needs, and make wage rules predictable. American workers should get the first opportunity, while farms facing shortages should have timely access to legal, temporary workers. For example, dairies, mushroom farms, nurseries, and livestock operations should not be trapped in a system designed only for short seasonal harvests.

Tony Sabio

Virginia farmers should not have to choose between following the law and finding the workers necessary to harvest their crops and care for their livestock. I support the Dignity Act of 2025 as a starting point, including H-2A reform, faster processing, less unnecessary paperwork, and access for year-round agricultural operations. Combined with E-Verify, we can secure our immigration system while giving American agriculture a dependable, legal workforce.

Donald Beyer Jr. (Incumbent)

No Response

Shelly Arnoldi

I would prioritize market access, voluntary conservation, practical crop insurance and risk tools, agricultural research and Extension, and regulatory relief. Virginia's poultry, dairy, timber, produce, specialty-crop, and horse producers must have a meaningful voice. For example, I would support crop insurance and disaster tools that actually work for specialty crops, produce farms, and small or mid-sized operations-not just the largest commodity producers.

Tony Sabio

Virginia farmers do not need more uncertainty from Washington. They need a government that understands that food security is national security. I support strong crop insurance, disaster assistance, agricultural research, rural broadband, export opportunities, and better credit access for young and beginning farmers. We should also address veterinary shortages and specialty-crop needs. Our farmers know how to feed America. Washington should give them the certainty, tools, and freedom to succeed.

Donald Beyer Jr. (Incumbent)

No Response

Shelly Arnoldi

I would protect prime farmland and working forests by directing development to existing industrial or disturbed sites first. Large energy and water users should provide for their own needs rather than shifting land loss and infrastructure costs onto rural communities and ratepayers. For example, data centers should demonstrate secured power and water capacity before receiving approvals that affect farmland, wells, streams, or electric bills.

Tony Sabio

Virginia should never have to choose between powering our future and preserving the farmland that feeds our families. I support local control and prioritizing data centers, transmission infrastructure, and major energy projects on industrial and lower-impact sites before sacrificing prime farmland. Expanding advanced nuclear and small modular reactors can meet growing energy demand while protecting working lands. Where appropriate, innovations such as agrivoltaics can help agriculture and energy coexist. Progress and preservation can work together.

Donald Beyer Jr. (Incumbent)

No Response

Shelly Arnoldi

I would require faster, science-based decisions, eliminate duplicative permitting, and account for food-security and cost impacts. For PFAS, I would target industrial sources, improve testing and treatment, and avoid blanket biosolids bans that punish farmers without addressing the original polluters. For example, if contamination comes from manufacturers or wastewater systems, the cleanup burden should not fall first on the farmer who followed approved rules.

Tony Sabio

Farmers should not be punished for contamination they did not create. On PFAS, responsibility should follow the source. I support identifying and stopping industrial contamination upstream, improving testing and treatment technologies, and protecting farmers who lawfully used approved biosolids from unfair liability. More broadly, Washington should eliminate duplicative permitting and unnecessary paperwork that raise costs without improving safety. Good regulation protects people; bad regulation simply makes it harder for good people to work.

Donald Beyer Jr. (Incumbent)

No Response

Shelly Arnoldi

I would require transparent, science-based risk assessments before restricting registered pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. Regulators must consider real-world use, yield and food-cost effects, and available alternatives while preventing conflicting rules that create unnecessary compliance costs. For example, farmers should not lose access to an effective crop protectant unless regulators can show a clear, science-based reason and a workable alternative.

Tony Sabio

America's farmers depend on science, innovation, and reliable tools to produce the safest and most abundant food supply in the world. Decisions about crop protectants should therefore be based on transparent science and demonstrated risk-not political pressure. I support rigorous EPA review, practical mitigation when legitimate concerns arise, and continued investment in precision agriculture and integrated pest management. Trust the science, give farmers the facts, and let American ingenuity continue improving agriculture.

Morgan Griffith (Incumbent)
morgangriffithforcongress.com

I'm running for reelection because Virginia's Ninth District, its farm families in particular, deserve a reasonable voice in Congress with an understanding of all aspects of agriculture.

I grew up in this district. I am proud to represent more farmland than any other member of the Virginia delegation. And I have toured numerous farms and agricultural facilities both in the district and elsewhere. Besides visiting livestock markets in the district, I have gone to New Holland, Pennsylvania to witness the sheep and goat sale there.

Further, I've spent my time in Congress fighting Washington overreach that makes it harder for our farmers and ranchers to do their jobs. There's unfinished work on the Farm Bill, on regulatory relief, on labor, and I want to help farmers by fighting for practical answers.

Joy Powers
joyforva.com

I farm here, I'm raising my family here, and I know what it takes to make a living off this land. Too many of our producers are squeezed by markets they can't control while jobs leave and rural hospitals close. People in the Ninth District deserve a representative who actually knows this place and will fight for its future. That's why I'm running. Not for partisan performance, but for real results.

Morgan Griffith (Incumbent)

1. Finishing a full five-year Farm Bill that strengthens crop insurance, disaster assistance, and the safety net our cattle, hay, and specialty crop producers depend on.


2. I am leading the bill that creates a new framework within the FDA that would regulate CBD products by requiring products to meet certain standards in order be considered unadulterated and legally marketed/sold in the U.S. This bill builds on existing FDA authority which regulates foods/beverages, cosmetics, and over-the-counter products, but does not include CBD. It includes a range of regulations that companies who want to legally and responsibly sell CBD products must follow such as requiring manufacturer registration, auditing, third-party testing requirements, labeling requirements, adverse event reporting, inspections, etc.
   
   This bill will bring in regulations that would mostly clear the market of bad actors and products that are harming children. Thus, creating a market where consumers can know what they are buying unlike the CBD market today. This will allow American farmers to continue farming hemp etc. And help them ensure that they are selling to companies that are responsible actors.
   
   The current ban on most hemp products is set to take effect on December 11, 2026, unless Congress steps in and creates a regulatory scheme for them. That would cause many responsible farmers and companies to go out of business and leave the market to foreign companies, typically from Asia. My bill would prevent this from happening because it establishes responsible guardrails and creates a true regulatory scheme within the FDA for CBD products.


3. Cutting regulatory red tape such as WOTUS, PFAS liability, and unreasonable pesticide labeling fights. These over-regulations pile cost and legal risk onto family farms without any grounding in sound science.

Joy Powers

First, agriculture and fair markets, because our producers get squeezed by prices and rules they didn't write. Second, healthcare people can reach without driving two hours, starting with rural hospitals. Third, good schools and good jobs, so young people can build a life here instead of leaving. It's my HOME plan: healthcare, opportunity, markets, and education. Rural Virginia deserves a representative fighting for all of it.

Morgan Griffith (Incumbent)

H-2A is the program we have, but it wasn't built for the farms that now depend on it. I'd support legislation to codify a streamlined, single-portal application process to cut Department of Labor and State Department processing delays and reform the Adverse Effect Wage Rate methodology so it reflects actual regional labor markets.

Joy Powers

As a farmer, I know you can't run an operation when your workers are stuck in bureaucratic limbo. I'd codify the reforms that work so no administration can undo them, cut the delays and fees that make the program so hard to use, and give farmers predictable wage rates they can plan around. And I'd finally open it to year-round operations like dairy and livestock that have been shut out for decades.

Morgan Griffith (Incumbent)

While I don't serve on the committees of jurisdiction, I voted for the House-passed Farm Bill, and I'll keep pressing the Senate to finish the job. Virginia has fairly diversified farming operations such as cattle, hay, tobacco, poultry, eggs, vegetables, Christmas trees, and other specialty crops. And we need crop insurance tailored to support those industries. We also need robust disaster and livestock indemnity provisions given the flooding and drought our district has seen in recent years, continued and expanded funding for conservation programs like EQIP and CSP that Virginia producers use, and full funding for agricultural research and extension work through Virginia Tech and Virginia State, which our farmers rely on directly.

Joy Powers

First, farmers here need Congress to actually finish a five-year bill instead of limping along on extensions. You can't plan a farm two years at a time. I want a safety net and crop insurance built for small and mid-sized family farms and cattle producers, not just the big operations. And I'd fight for stronger support for local food, specialty crops, and the young farmers trying to get a start here.

Morgan Griffith (Incumbent)

Virginia can lead the nation in data center growth without paving over the farmland that feeds it. That balance starts with keeping siting decisions where they belong, with local governments and landowners, as opposed to a top-down state or federal mandate, but I also think Congress has a role in transmission siting reform that gives directly affected landowners notice, compensation, and a seat at the table before a line is routed through productive ground. I support strengthening incentives that make it more attractive for a farmer to keep land in production than to sell to a developer, and I'd resist any federal preemption that strips Virginia localities of zoning authority over where data centers and utility-scale solar can go. Innovation and agriculture don't need to be in conflict.

Joy Powers

I've watched decisions about our land get made by people who never set foot here. That's why I'm pushing a national food security bill to protect our farmland and reverse the loss. Data centers and their power lines shouldn't cost us our best soil or get forced across a family's property. Put them on marginal ground, and make the companies pay. Our farmers shouldn't foot the bill so somebody else can run a server farm.

Morgan Griffith (Incumbent)

On PFAS, the fix has to start upstream, not on the farm. Farmers who applied biosolids in good faith, under a permit, following EPA guidance, should not be the ones left holding CERCLA liability for contamination they didn't cause. I support a PFAS liability exemption for farmers and biosolids applicators acting in compliance with their permits, paired with tighter federal pretreatment standards so PFAS is kept out of the wastewater stream at the industrial source before it ever reaches a treatment plant or a farm field.

Further, farmers in the Ninth District are being squeezed by rules written with little regard for how a working farm actually operates. For example, an expansive Biden-era WOTUS definition which turned ditches and intermittent streams into federal jurisdiction was not appropriate. Also, EPA permitting delays and excessive compliance costs on family operations that can't absorb them the way large agribusiness can is inappropriate.

Joy Powers

Farmers need rules written with them at the table, ones that fit a family operation instead of burying it in paperwork. The clearest example is PFAS. Farmers who spread biosolids in good faith shouldn't be held liable for contamination they never created. I'd stop PFAS at the source by holding the industrial polluters accountable, and pass a passive-receiver exemption so the family that used that fertilizer isn't left holding the bill.

Morgan Griffith (Incumbent)

The problem is that even when the EPA approves a product, that product can still get hit with state-court lawsuits that threaten to pull safe, effective products off the market through litigation rather than the regulatory process. I support federal legislation confirming that compliance with an EPA-approved label satisfies a manufacturer's duty to warn under state law, so one jury in one state can't override a national scientific determination. I'll also continue opposing efforts in the Farm Bill and elsewhere to short-circuit EPA's own risk-assessment process for political reasons rather than bona fide scientific data.

Joy Powers

Farmers rely on these tools, and decisions should be driven by science and EPA's experts, not by lawsuits or a patchwork of state rules that changes what you can use by your zip code. I'll fight to keep proven, safe products available. But science cuts both ways. Farmers deserve the honest truth about what they're handling, and the training to use it safely, so we can protect our own families.

Suhas Subramanyam (Incumbent)
suhasforvirginia.com

I am proud to represent Virginia's 10th Congressional District in Congress, this community is my home. I was married here, my kids were born here, the issues we are facing on affordability and firings of federal workers and contractors hit home. I especially look forward to continuing my work to make food more affordable for every Virginian and supporting Virginia's agriculture industry.

David Beckwith
beckwithforcongress.com

I spent 30 years in the Air Force, retiring as a Colonel, and later served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, managing 95 people and a $500 billion portfolio spanning space, nuclear, and missile defense. I'm an engineer and a program manager. My career was about taking complicated systems that weren't working and making them work, on time and on budget.

My wife, Sally, and I have called Loudoun County home for 17 years, where we raised and homeschooled our three children. I've watched this district grow, and I've watched Washington become slower, more expensive, and less accountable.

I'm running because Virginia families and farmers deserve a federal government that works as well as they do, one that sets clear rules, respects property rights, spends taxpayer money responsibly, and then gets out of the way.

For 30 years, I fixed management failures. That's what I intend to do in Washington.

Ahsen Malik
ahsenmalik.com

A set of experiences in my life have brought me here. We all have our part to play towards the betterment of our nation and I feel this is where I can best add value.

Suhas Subramanyam (Incumbent)

I hope to continue my work to lower costs and support Virginia families and businesses, including farmers. I convened the Agritourism Caucus and introduced the AGRITOURISM Act to provide streamlined resources for agritourism businesses and farmers.

I am also committed to holding our government to account and rooting out corruption. I will continue to stand up and protect our federal workers and contractors. Making sure that our communities are heard is also a top priority.

David Beckwith

Lower taxes and protect family farms. Families, farmers, and small businesses should keep more of what they earn. I will fight for a simpler, more pro-growth tax code that rewards work, saving, and investment. For Virginia agriculture, that means protecting stepped-up basis and the estate-tax exemption so working farms can remain in the family, and preserving strong Section 179 expensing and full bonus depreciation so farmers can reinvest in equipment and grow their operations.

Restore fiscal discipline. Tax relief must go hand in hand with spending discipline. Washington cannot keep promising tax cuts while continuing to spend without limits. I will oppose unnecessary deficit spending, eliminate waste and improper payments, and demand that Congress prioritize essential government functions and live within its means.

Protect Virginia's working land and property rights. Virginia's growth should not come at the expense of farmers, families, or taxpayers. As your member of Congress, I will defend private property rights, protect working farmland, and oppose unnecessary eminent-domain takings. I will support local decision-making, oppose government cost-shifting, and make sure private development does not become a hidden tax on Virginia ratepayers.

Ahsen Malik

Foreign Policy, Presidential Election Reform, Healthcare Reform

Suhas Subramanyam (Incumbent)

In Congress, I am committed to reducing processing delays across our immigration system, including delays in case processing. I have offered appropriations amendments and advocated for funding to address these delays.

David Beckwith

1. Make H-2A wages predictable. Congress should put a transparent H-2A wage methodology into law and limit excessive year-to-year increases. Farmers need to know their labor costs before they plant, invest, and hire.
2. Modernize H-2A for year-round agriculture. I would support efforts that modernize the H-2A program to ensure it works for Virginia's full range of agriculture, including livestock, dairy, equine, greenhouse, and other operations with legitimate year-round labor needs. Many of these efforts are currently included in H.R. 9535, the bipartisan Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act.
3. Cut bureaucracy and unnecessary costs. Farmers should not have to navigate multiple agencies, duplicative paperwork, and excessive fees to hire workers legally. Congress should create a streamlined process, clear deadlines, and reasonable costs while maintaining protections for American workers. I would support a simplified, cost-competitive H-2A program.
4. Provide permanent H-2B cap relief. Virginia's nurseries, greenhouses, landscaping, and other seasonal businesses often rely on H-2B workers. This program should be improved to establish a predictable H-2B system tied to legitimate labor demand while continuing to require employers to recruit available American workers.

Ahsen Malik

I want to give this question a real answer, not a rehearsed one. Before I take a public position, I'm committed to speaking directly with farmers, agricultural economists, and other experts who understand this issue better than I do. That's the only way to maximize the chance of getting the policy right. I don't have that position yet, and I'd rather tell you that honestly than guess. I should have a fully thought-out answer by around October 10th, and I welcome the chance to hear directly from Farm Bureau members in the meantime. That being established, I am generally in support of more liberal immigration quotas that would help with this situation.

Suhas Subramanyam (Incumbent)

In a future farm bill, we must fully fund SNAP and critical food assistance programs. I would also like to see an investment in Virginia's agritourism economy in a future Farm Bill - including legislation like the AGRITOURISM Act to consolidate resources for local businesses. I look forward to standing up for small farmers as well as the Commonwealth's top livestock and crop commodities. We must support funding local agriculture resources and addressing infrastructure and labor challenges.

David Beckwith

Pass a five-year Farm Bill. Virginia farmers need certainty, not another short-term extension or another round of emergency bailouts. I will support a fiscally responsible Farm Bill that strengthens risk management, protects working lands, and expands markets for Virginia agriculture. This could include efforts that:

• Protect voluntary conservation. Support EQIP, CSP and ACEP when they deliver measurable results, respect property rights and keep working land productive.
• Protect working farmland. Support voluntary conservation easements that keep productive farmland in agriculture.
• Expand markets. Promote trade and reliable market access so Virginia farmers can sell more of what they produce.
• Leverage private credit. Modernize USDA loan programs while using federal guarantees to expand access to private capital, especially for beginning farmers.
• Demand accountability. Farm programs should be targeted, voluntary, and accountable. Congress should address improper payments and waste while protecting legitimate farmer benefits. The goal is simple: give Virginia farmers certainty, protect working land, expand markets, and make every taxpayer dollar count.

Ahsen Malik

I want to give this question a real answer, not a rehearsed one. Before I take a public position, I'm committed to speaking directly with farmers, agricultural economists, and other experts who understand this issue better than I do. That's the only way to maximize the chance of getting the policy right. I don't have that position yet, and I'd rather tell you that honestly than guess. I should have a fully thought-out answer by around October 10th, and I welcome the chance to hear directly from Farm Bureau members in the meantime. My sincere apologies.

Suhas Subramanyam (Incumbent)

I will continue to fight back when data centers and transmission lines threaten our communities, including our farmers. I have called for a local moratorium in my community, and am putting forward legislation to require a national data center siting plan.

David Beckwith

We need to work to protect working farms and property rights for our farmers. Ideas to balance innovation, power, and competitiveness while preserving productive lands could include:

• Protect farmland: Oppose unnecessary eminent-domain takings and preserve productive agricultural land.
• Make development pay its share: Large projects should bear the infrastructure costs they create rather than shifting them to farmers, families, and other ratepayers.
• Respect local decisions: Keep land-use decisions as close to affected communities as possible.
• End unnecessary subsidies: Let energy projects compete on their own economics rather than using taxpayer support to drive farmland conversion.
• Require responsible cleanup: Projects using agricultural land should provide adequate financial assurance for restoration when they end.

Protect property rights, keep working land productive, and make those who create costs pay them.

Ahsen Malik

When it comes to data centers, I fully support all local efforts to completely ban new data center construction. Hence, if the data centers are threatening prime farmland, they should be placed elsewhere. As to the question of utility-scale solar projects and their challenges to farmers, I do not have a thought out answer yet. I should have a fully thought-out answer by around October 10th, and I welcome the chance to hear directly from Farm Bureau members in the meantime. My sincere apologies.

Suhas Subramanyam (Incumbent)

We must ensure that our communities and environment are protected from PFAS. I have championed legislation, pushed for federal funding, and written directly to the administration about the need for environmental protections so our farmers can do their jobs safely.

David Beckwith

I do not support overly broad federal environmental regulation that creates uncertainty and costly requirements for farmers; instead, I support regulatory approaches that protect water quality while minimizing costly regulation on farmers. We must make regulations clear, science-based, and workable for farmers. Congress should work to:

• Clarify water rules: Give farmers a clear, durable definition of federal jurisdiction consistent with Sackett.
• Protect agricultural flexibility: Maintain reasonable exemptions for farm and livestock transportation.
• Support small processors: Reduce unnecessary barriers for smaller meat-processing operations and expand interstate market access for state-inspected products.
• PFAS - hold polluters responsible: Address PFAS at the industrial source and protect farmers who lawfully used permitted biosolids from liability for contamination they did not create.
• Use the best science: Establish clear standards and deadlines so farmers know what rules they must meet.

Congress should hold polluters responsible — not farmers who followed the rules

Ahsen Malik

I want to give this question a real answer, not a rehearsed one. Before I take a public position, I'm committed to speaking directly with farmers, agricultural economists, and other experts who understand this issue better than I do. That's the only way to maximize the chance of getting the policy right. I don't have that position yet, and I'd rather tell you that honestly than guess. I should have a fully thought-out answer by around October 10th, and I welcome the chance to hear directly from Farm Bureau members in the meantime. My sincere apologies.

Suhas Subramanyam (Incumbent)

I am committed to ensuring that our environmental and agricultural policies are grounded in science. I will continue to work to promote policies that let our farmers do their jobs safely.

David Beckwith

In order to protect access to safe, effective crop-protection tools, I would work in Congress to:

• Keep EPA decisions science-based: Pesticide registration and labeling should rely on sound science, peer-reviewed data, and established federal law.
• Provide regulatory certainty: Maintain national consistency for federally registered products rather than creating conflicting state-by-state requirements.
• Use existing resources wisely: Require EPA to meet its statutory responsibilities and registration timelines before creating new programs or spending.
• Encourage efficiency: Precision agriculture and integrated pest management help farmers reduce unnecessary applications while protecting crops.

Congress should protect sound science, consistent rules, and responsible regulation to help farmers produce more while using fewer resources.

Ahsen Malik

I want to give this question a real answer, not a rehearsed one. Before I take a public position, I'm committed to speaking directly with farmers, agricultural economists, and other experts who understand this issue better than I do. That's the only way to maximize the chance of getting the policy right. I don't have that position yet, and I'd rather tell you that honestly than guess. I should have a fully thought-out answer by around October 10th, and I welcome the chance to hear directly from Farm Bureau members in the meantime. My sincere apologies.

James Walkinshaw (Incumbent)
walkinshaw.house.gov

No response

Dianne Blais
dianneforcongress.org

to do what I can to make a better world

Arthur Purves
votepurves.org

No response

James Walkinshaw (Incumbent)

No response

Dianne Blais

war, better life for all, environment

Arthur Purves

No response

James Walkinshaw (Incumbent)

No response

Dianne Blais

expand and improve case processing, decrease program fees

Arthur Purves

No response

James Walkinshaw (Incumbent)

No response

Dianne Blais

We need to reestablish former SNAP benefits without any limitations.

Arthur Purves

No response

James Walkinshaw (Incumbent)

No response

Dianne Blais

need a moratorium on data centers until much more data is collected about their harms.

Arthur Purves

No response

James Walkinshaw (Incumbent)

No response

Dianne Blais

We need to stop producing PFAs.

Arthur Purves

No response

James Walkinshaw (Incumbent)

No response

Dianne Blais

I'd take the recommendations of scientists (not lobbyists).

Arthur Purves

No response