Federal race · November 3, 2026
U.S. Senate
One of Virginia's two U.S. senators, who vote on federal legislation, confirm presidential nominees and ratify treaties.
6-year term. Regular election for the full term beginning January 2027. Incumbent Democrat Mark R. Warner, first elected in 2008, was the only qualifying Democrat and advanced without a primary vote. Bert Mizusawa won the August 4, 2026 Republican primary over David Williams and Kim Farington. The Virginia Department of Elections' official candidate list (revised October 6, 2026) shows only these two candidates for this office; no independent or minor-party candidate qualified.
The candidates
Listed alphabetically by last name.
Bert Mizusawa
Retired U.S. Army major generalBert Mizusawa is a Republican and retired U.S. Army major general who served as deputy under secretary of the Army, a Senate Armed Services Committee staff member and a senior adviser at the CIA. He won the August 2026 Republican primary and is running on national security, federal spending, affordability and veterans' benefits.
Mark R. Warner
U.S. Senator from Virginia (since 2009)Mark Warner is a Democrat who has represented Virginia in the U.S. Senate since 2009, after serving as governor from 2002 to 2006 and working as a technology entrepreneur and investor. He is seeking a fourth term on a campaign focused on health care costs, affordability, and preparing workers for the effects of artificial intelligence.
Compare on the issues
Summaries of each candidate's stated positions. See each profile for sources and details.
| Issue | Bert Mizusawa Republican | Mark R. Warner Democratic |
|---|---|---|
| Economy & Jobs | Says he would focus on balancing the federal budget; says rural Southwest Virginia wants more jobs and points to Virginia Tech's new counter-drone research and testing center as worth supporting. | Says AI companies and corporations that profit from AI should help prepare workers and pay their share of AI's growing power demand on the electric grid. |
| Elections & Democracy | Supports banning members of Congress from trading stocks. | Says he helped negotiate and pass the revised Electoral Count Act clarifying that the vice president cannot overturn the result of a presidential election during certification. |
| Foreign Policy | Supports the president's actions in the Iran conflict and says "we have to trust the president" on the matter; warns that AI regulation should not let the U.S. fall behind China. | Supports protecting critical technologies, screening foreign investments and reducing U.S. dependence on China for semiconductors; has criticized the administration's handling of the war with Iran. |
| Health Care | Says he would lower health care costs by holding insurance companies accountable and funding rural hospitals. | Helped write the Affordable Care Act and says he wants to strengthen it; supports extending tax credits for health coverage and says every American should have access to an affordable basic standard of care. |
| Veterans | Pledges to protect veterans' benefits and improve health care access so veterans do not face long waits. | Supported the PACT Act for veterans exposed to burn pits and other toxins; supports cutting VA clinic wait times, improving mental health care and repairing substandard military housing. |
| Abortion | No public position found yet | Supports abortion access and says he will work to pass Virginia's proposed state constitutional amendment protecting it, along with amendments on marriage equality and restoring voting rights. |
| Energy & Environment | Supports building new nuclear power plants to lower household energy costs; says data centers should not be placed in communities that do not want them. | No public position found yet |
| Guns | No public position found yet | Says Americans have the right to own guns; supports banning assault weapons and expanding background checks. |
| Housing | No public position found yet | Supports expanding housing supply by encouraging rehabilitation of existing buildings, speeding permits and making first mortgages easier for first-time buyers. |
| Taxes | Says he would cut taxes on Virginia families, including lowering the tax on selling a home. | No public position found yet |