Senate race · 2026

Virginia Senate Race

This election is for a U.S. Senate seat currently held by Democratic incumbent Mark Warner, who is seeking a fourth term. Republicans are holding a primary to determine who will challenge him in a state where Democrats have swept every Senate contest since 2002.

All 2026 races

3 candidates · what each one campaigns on

Bert Mizusawa

Republican

Bert Mizusawa is a retired major general in the U.S. Army who also worked as the deputy under secretary of the Army and commanded a combined joint interagency task force in Afghanistan.

Campaign platform

Local Control
Mizusawa believes local communities should decide what gets built, including data centers, and control their own land use policies.
DemocracySource
National Security
His campaign focuses heavily on military readiness and foreign policy, highlighting his decades of military and public service.
DefenseSource
Fiscal responsibility
Says the national debt has tripled and pledges to cut spending to core functions.
EconomySource
Tax code reform for affordability
Calls for reforming the tax code to ease costs on Virginia families.
EconomySource
Green New Deal Criticism
He attributes data centers' energy demands to the failure of Democrats' Green New Deal energy policies that restrict energy production.
EnvironmentSource
Border security and defense
A retired Army major general emphasizing border security and military strength.
National SecuritySource
Government Spending
Mizusawa campaigns on issues related to government spending, advocating for fiscal responsibility.
EconomySource
Constitutional Amendments
Mizusawa opposes proposed Virginia constitutional amendments regarding same-sex marriage, felon voting rights, and abortion access.
DemocracySource

Campaign site Ballotpedia profile

Mark Warner

Democratic · Incumbent

Their record

Currently: U.S. Senator

Mark Warner is the incumbent U.S. Senator for Virginia, seeking his fourth term, and previously served as the Governor of Virginia.

Campaign platform

Lower health care costs
Says he will keep working to expand affordable coverage and lower prescription drug prices.
Health CareSource
Infrastructure and manufacturing
Highlights his role in the bipartisan infrastructure law and expanding domestic manufacturing.
EconomySource
Address AI-driven job disruption
His plan addresses how artificial intelligence is reshaping the economy and jobs.
EconomySource
Intelligence oversight
As Senate Intelligence Committee leader, emphasizes protecting national security institutions.
National SecuritySource

Campaign site Ballotpedia profile

Mark Moran

Independent

Mark Moran is an Independent candidate for U.S. Senate who is a former Democrat and a Virginia native.

Campaign platform

End donor-class influence
His "Commonwealth Plan" argues both parties are captured by donors and proposes structural reform.
Democracy & GovernmentSource
Rebuild the middle class
Argues the middle class has been managed into dependency and proposes reversing it.
EconomySource
Independent candidacy
Left the Democratic Party to run as an independent free of party loyalty.
Democracy & GovernmentSource

Campaign site Ballotpedia profile

Platform items are drawn from candidates’ own campaign materials and public reporting, summarised neutrally. They are what a candidate says they will do — not a judgement about whether they will do it. Once a candidate is serving in Congress, their record moves to the The Informed Ballot profiles.