A fourth Democratic candidate announced a campaign Wednesday to challenge incumbent Republican Congressman John McGuire in the 2026 midterm elections.
The field of Democratic hopefuls include a lawyer, a businesswoman, a Navy veteran and an Army veteran.
Whoever wins the 2026 primary will go on to challenge incumbent Rep. McGuire, R-Goochland County, a former Navy SEAL and entrepreneur. McGuire beat his predecessor, two-term former Rep. Bob Good, in a heated primary election in 2024.
Good had said in early September that he would decide whether to challenge McGuire for the Republican nomination in “the coming weeks.” A phone call and text message to Good from Cardinal News that sought an update on his plan was left unanswered Wednesday.
Virginia’s 5th Congressional District has been represented by a Republican since 2011 and is considered a stronghold for the party. McGuire beat his Democratic challenger Gloria Witt in 2024 by a nearly 15% margin.
Meet the Democratic candidates seeking to represent the 5th District
Paul Riley, a retired U.S. Army veteran, was the first of the group to announce his candidacy in early July. Riley, of Crozet, had sought the Democratic nomination for the 5th District in 2024 but came in last in a three-way race. He served for over 20 years as a military intelligence officer and was deployed on a combat tour in Iraq. He received a Bronze Star for his service.
Riley worked at the National Ground Intelligence Center until 2023. He now works as a defense contractor and intelligence professional, where he advises on critical security issues facing the United States, according to his website.
“I want to make this a campaign that transcends partisanship,” he said in a July interview with ABC 13 News. “This is not about being a red or a blue or a Democrat or Republican, this is about being, first, a Virginian, and second, an American.”
His campaign platform focuses on economic opportunity, protecting health care and earned benefits, support for military veterans, tax reform, and national security and strong defense, according to his website.
Albemarle County supervisor, Navy veteran and civil rights lawyer Mike Pruitt announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination in late July.
Pruitt graduated from Duke University and was commissioned into the U.S. Navy where he served three tours as an officer. He led teams aboard two warships and deployed twice to combat zones in the Middle East. He later joined the Office of Naval Intelligence and served as a senior analyst and team leader, according to his website.
“I’m running for Congress because our country is at a turning point. The gap between working people and the billionaire class is the widest it’s been in a century,” he said in a statement. “Our district is hurting, and people know it, whether they feel it in their heart or in their aching back.”
His campaign platform focuses on economic opportunity and affordability, “standing up to special interests,” access to health care, community investment and support for veterans and military families, according to his website.
Kate Zabriskie of Lynchburg announced her intention to seek the Democratic nomination for the seat in September. Zabriskie is the founder of a 25-year-old business training firm, according to her website.
“I’m running because people are worn out — worn out by division, worn out by noise, and worn out by being ignored,” she said in a statement. “When I sit down with neighbors and ask the right questions, I hear the same things again and again. People want good schools, access to health care, opportunities for their kids, and communities where they can feel secure. We have more in common than what we’re being told.”
Her campaign platform focuses on fixing broadband and infrastructure, improving access to local health care, fortifying small businesses and farming, training for jobs, and protecting existing jobs in nuclear energy and advanced manufacturing.
Adele Stichel of Charlottesville announced her candidacy for the 5th Congressional District in Charlottesville on Wednesday morning. Stichel is a graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law. She has worked as a lawyer to conduct internal investigations and has advised individuals, companies and nonprofit organizations facing allegations of misconduct, according to her campaign.
“I’m running for Congress because I believe this country can and should work for everyone, not just corporations and billionaires,” Stichel said in a statement. “Central Virginians are working harder than ever, yet most people can’t get ahead. Prices and housing costs keep going up. Health care costs are rising dramatically, while insurance companies make patients jump through an ever-increasing number of hoops to actually get care.”
She has worked with the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. and has advocated for charges against “violent white supremacists” after the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville. She has also taken part in street outreach and HIV prevention work, and has led legal observer teams to support the first amendment rights of demonstrators, according to a statement from her campaign.
Stichel’s campaign platform will include an effort to reduce the tax burden on middle and working class people, health care accessibility and overall affordability, a campaign spokesperson said.
She is the fourth Democratic candidate to announce in a primary race to determine who will challenge McGuire in November 2026.