Virginia’s 5th Congressional District heads to contested primaries

Virginia voters will head to the polls Tuesday to choose party nominees for U.S. Senate, congressional seats and local offices, with the commonwealth’s only congressional district featuring contested primaries in both parties helping shape the November ballot.

Republicans will nominate a challenger to Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, while voters in several congressional districts will select party nominees ahead of the Nov. 3 general election.

Among those races, Virginia’s 5th Congressional District stands out as the only district where both Republicans and Democrats have contested primaries. The district has also drawn national attention after the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee added Virginia’s 5th District to its “Districts in Play” list in February.

Republicans will choose between incumbent U.S. Rep. John McGuire and challenger Melanie Lucero. Democrats will decide among former U.S. Rep. Tom Perriello, political commentator Robert Tracinski and Lynchburg physician Suzanne Krzyzanowski.

Campaign finance data compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project show Perriello leading the field with about $2.1 million raised. McGuire has reported raising about $1.7 million. Lucero has raised about $88,000, while Tracinski has raised about $54,000 and Krzyzanowski has raised about $17,000.

McGuire, a former Navy SEAL and former state senator, won the Republican nomination in 2024 after narrowly defeating then-Rep. Bob Good in one of Virginia’s closest congressional primaries before winning the general election. Endorsed by President Donald Trump, he serves on the House Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

Lucero, a Marine veteran and Louisa County real estate broker and developer, has made affordability and constituent accessibility central themes of her campaign.

Perriello represented the 5th District from 2009 to 2011 after defeating longtime Republican Rep. Virgil Goode in 2008. Since leaving Congress, he has worked in diplomacy and international development. He has campaigned on lowering costs for families and economic development.

Tracinski has centered his campaign on constitutional checks on executive power and government accountability, while Krzyzanowski has campaigned as a physician focused on health care.

Virginia’s 5th Congressional District includes much of Virginia’s Piedmont and Southside regions, including the cities of Charlottesville, Danville and Lynchburg. The winners of Tuesday’s primaries will advance to the Nov. 3 general election for the Republican-held seat.

Early voting has been underway since June. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday.