Virginia CD 2: First-Ever US House Race Between Women War Veterans

John HaugheyAugust 30, 2022

According to the Cook Partisan Voting Index (CPVI), Virginia’s Congressional District 2 (CD 2) is the nation’s ultimate “median” district. By Cook’s rating, 217 of the country’s 435 congressional districts are regarded as more Democratic and 217 as more Republican.

That places Virginia CD 2 firmly among 36 Ballotpedia “battleground” districts and among 22 “tossup” Nov. 8 races across the country for congressional seats now held by Democrats, according to Cook, FiveThirtyEight, and other election analyses services.

That also makes the congressional election in Virginia CD 2, as well as in the commonwealth’s CD 7, among the nation’s two most-watched 2022 midterm bellwether U.S. House races.

While a “median” swing district, CD 2 also has unique features that make it distinct.

For one thing, on Nov. 8 it will be the scene of the nation’s first-ever general election where both U.S. House candidates are women military combat veterans.

For another, the Democratic incumbent has won back-to-back races in the purple district but may have stepped over the line with some GOP voters who had backed her in the past by serving on the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.

Two-term Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) is a retired Navy commander who served more than two decades as a combat specialist, including during Iraq and Afghanistan war deployments aboard aircraft carriers based in CD 2.

Republican challenger state Sen. Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia Beach) served 10 years in the Navy as a submarine-hunting helicopter pilot during combat deployments also aboard ships based in the district.

Virginia Republican Congressional District 2 candidate state Sen. Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia Beach) speaks with voters in a Virginia Beach diner during a February breakfast meeting as part of her now 20-month campaign to unseat two-term incumbent U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) in November. (Courtesy of Jen