All seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election every two years. There are 435 seats, representing each of the fifty states in rough proportion to their population as recorded in the most recent national census. There are six non-voting delegate seats representing U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.
This is the first congressional general election since the 2020 Census. In the reapportionment, one state gained two seats (Texas), five states gained one seat each (Colorado, Florida, Montana, North Carolina, and Oregon), and seven states lost one seat each (California, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia). These and most other states, including Virginia, also realigned their district boundaries.
The Democratic Party currently holds a 221-212 majority over the Republican Party in the House. Two seats are vacant. Virginia has eleven seats in the House, with seven held by Democrats and four held by Republicans.
Tenth District
In the race to represent Virginia’s Tenth District in the United States House of Representatives, incumbent Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA 10th) is seeking reelection and is challenged by Hung Cao (R).
The Tenth District has been redrawn following the 2020 Census and redistricting process. It now encompasses Fauquier County, Loudoun County, Rappahannock County, the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, and parts of Fairfax and Prince William counties.
Clarke County, Frederick County, and the City of Winchester are now located in the Sixth District.
Incumbent: Jennifer Wexton (D)
Incumbent Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA 10th) stands as the Democratic Party nominee to represent Virginia’s Tenth District in the United States House of Representatives. She is nearing the end of her second term.
Wexton is a graduate of the University of Maryland and holds a law degree from the College of William & Mary School of Law. From 2001 to 2005 she served as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney in Loudoun County, Virginia, after which she entered private legal practice. She was also selected to serve as a substitute judge in Loudoun County in 2010.
In 2011 she campaigned unsuccessfully to unseat Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Jim Plowman (R). After then-Virginia Senator Mark Herring (D-VA 33rd) was elected Attorney General of Virginia in 2013, Wexton stood in a special election and won his former seat. She was reelected in the 2015 general election. She was elected to the House of Representatives in 2018 and was reelected in 2020.
Wexton says she has worked to “make health care more affordable for our families, keep our kids safe from gun violence, and . . . protect the interests of federal workers and contractors in our region,” and claims to have a “deep understanding of . . . the issues that matter most to our region’s families.” And yet, she votes in near lockstep with the Democratic Party machine.
She denies the fundamental human right to life—the right upon which all others are predicated. She seeks to significantly limit self-defense rights. She supports the lawless policies advocated by her party even as we pay the price for them with nationwide spikes in crime. She opposes efforts to improve ballot security. She wants to throw more money at our failing schools. And she rarely misses an opportunity to engage in “identity politics;” this poison is scattered all through her policy statements.
Meanwhile, Wexton has supported the current administration’s harmful economic policies at every turn. High inflation is squeezing the middle class, and the deceptively-named ”Inflation Reduction Act”—which she supported—is only making things worse.
Challenger: Hung Cao (R)
Hung Cao (R) stands as the Republican Party nominee to challenge incumbent Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA 10th).
Cao is a retired United States Navy Captain who has worked as a deep-sea diver and explosive ordnance disposal officer. He has been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Somalia, and served in positions at the Pentagon and a Joint Terrorism Task Force in San Diego, California. He has also worked with multiple non-profit organizations and established a charity with his family to make audible Easter Eggs for visually impaired children.
According to Cao, he was inspired to run for office after the fall of Kabul, Afghanistan. “Washington has forgotten that it works for the American people and needs a clear reminder, as Ronald Reagan said, that ‘we the people tell the government what to do; it doesn’t tell us.’” If elected, this would be Cao’s first time holding elected office.
As is often the case when underfunded newcomers enter a congressional race, Cao’s website offers only a meager set of vague policy proposals. And because he has never served in elected office, we cannot fill in the gaps with a voting record. He summarizes his approach by saying, “Government needs to leave us alone!” and then briefly describes five topic areas: the economy, education, homeland security, national defense, and the sanctity of life.
On the economy, Cao decries high inflation and the unconstitutional mandates that have been imposed on businesses. He promises to support tax reductions and a balanced budget. On education, he promises to focus on the basics, avoid indoctrination, and push for school choice. On homeland security and national defense, he promises to secure our borders, back law enforcement, and realign military training on readiness rather than social experimentation.
These are sound proposals, despite their lack of detail. Cao, of course, would be just one among many members of Congress, so he would be unable to enact any of these policies on his own . . . but it would be good to have a representative who is working to move things in the right direction.
Cao also advocates for protecting and restoring the fundamental human rights. He clearly and unapologetically defends the right to life—the first and most fundamental right. Although self defense rights are not prominently featured in his campaign, he does say that he wants government to stay “away from our guns.”
Conclusion
The Tenth District is still poorly served by Representative Jennifer Wexton (D-VA 10th). Her opposition to our most fundamental human rights is a disqualifier. Her support for the current administration’s poor economic policies is another reason not to send her back for another term. She is out-of-step with the needs of the district and the nation.
The case for Hung Cao (R) would be much stronger if he had offered a deeper set of policy proposals. But he is clear about his support for fundamental human rights, and he seems to understand the problems we face economically and otherwise. And, like I said two years ago, “it would be very difficult to be any worse than Wexton.”
I endorse the election of Hung Cao to represent Virginia’s Tenth District in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Other Recommendations
U.S. House, Virginia
I make the following recommendations for contested House of Representative races in Virginia’s other districts. I have evaluated each race and candidate individually according to the same general criteria described in the endorsement article above.
- First District: Incumbent Representative Rob Wittman (R-VA 1st) is challenged by Herb Jones (D) and David Foster (I). I recommend voting for Rob Wittman.
- Second District: Incumbent Representative Elaine Luria (D-VA 2nd) is challenged by Virginia Senator Jen Kiggans (R-VA 7th). I recommend voting for Jen Kiggans.
- Third District: Incumbent Representative Bobby Scott (D-VA 3rd) is challenged by Terry Namkung (R). I recommend voting for Terry Namkung.
- Fourth District: Incumbent Representative Donald McEachin (D-VA 4th) is challenged by Leon Benjamin (R). I recommend voting for Leon Benjamin.
- Fifth District: Incumbent Representative Bob Good (R-VA 5th) is challenged by Josh Throneburg (D). I recommend voting for Bob Good.
- Sixth District: Incumbent Representative Ben Cline (R-VA 6th) is challenged by Jennifer Lewis (D). I recommend voting for Ben Cline.
- Seventh District: Incumbent Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA 7th) is challenged by Yesli Vega (R). I recommend voting for Yesli Vega.
- Eighth District: Incumbent Representative Don Beyer (D-VA 7th) is challenged by Karina Lipsman (R) and Teddy Fikre (I). I recommend voting for Karina Lipsman.
- Ninth District: Incumbent Representative Morgan Griffith (R-VA 9th) is challenged by Taysha Devaughan (D). I recommend voting for Morgan Griffith.
- Tenth District: See full-form endorsement above.
- Eleventh District: Incumbent Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA 11th) is challenged by Jim Myles (R). I recommend voting for Jim Myles.
Loudoun County School Board
Vacancies for the Broad Run and Leesburg district seats on the Loudoun County School Board were temporarily filled with appointments by the board. Voters in these districts will now decide who will serve in those seats for the one year remaining in the current term.
- Broad Run District: Incumbent Loudoun County School Board Member Andrew Hoyler (Broad Run), who is serving on a temporary appointment, is seeking election. He is challenged by Nicholas Gothard and Tiffany Polifko. I recommend voting for Tiffany Polifko.
- Leesburg District: Incumbent Loudoun County School Board Member Tom Marshall (Leesburg), who is serving on a temporary appointment, is not seeking election. Erika Ogedegbe, Michael Rivera, and Lauren Shernoff stand as candidates. I recommend voting for Michael Rivera.
Ed. Note, October 3, 2022–This article originally stated, ”High inflation is squeezing the middle class, and it doesn’t even warrant a passing mention on [Representative Jennifer Wexton’s (D-VA 10th)] campaign website.” Her website has since been updated to add references to inflation, and this article has been updated accordingly.