Virginia Republicans caught a break this spring when the state Supreme Court struck down a map drawn to help Democrats win 10 of the commonwealth’s 11 House seats. 

But Virginia remains instructive to the fight for the House majority, and a trio of GOP-held seats there exemplify the type of districts that have made it onto the House battleground this year.

Virginia’s 2nd District, where Republican incumbent Jen Kiggans faces a rematch from 2022 against Democratic former Rep. Elaine Luria, is a classic swing seat that has changed hands between the parties over the past decade. 

The 1st District, where GOP Rep. Rob Wittman has won 10 straight elections by double digits, is a new entrant to the House playing field this cycle. The incumbent is in a tough fight against Democratic prosecutor Shannon Taylor, who hopes to capitalize on a Democratic-friendly midterm environment. 

Republicans remain favored to hold the 5th District, which Donald Trump carried by 12 points in 2024. But freshman lawmaker John McGuire faces a challenge from Democratic former Rep. Tom Perriello, as political headwinds blow even through deep-red territory. 

The Democrat-held 7th District, which is also rated competitive by Inside Elections with Nathan L. Gonzales, is not considered a top Republican target this year.

On Monday, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg headlined a rally outside Richmond for the Democratic nominees in the three targeted races as the potential 2028 presidential candidate criss-crosses the country on behalf of Democratic candidates. 

“It’s time for real leaders who are going to remember who they’re working for and do the right thing. That is the difference between the current Republican one-party control in Washington and a Democratic majority in the House,” Buttigieg told the crowd. “But make no mistake, that majority runs right through these three races in Virginia.”

Emma Hall, a spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee, dismissed Buttigieg’s visit in the final stretch before Election Day, accusing Luria and Taylor of leaning on a “Biden hack.” Her statement did not mention Perriello.

Here’s a look at the three Virginia races:

2nd District: the swing seat rematch

Kiggans ousted Luria from the Hampton Roads seat in 2022, when Republicans flipped the House. Now, the two Navy veterans are locked in a rematch for one of the nation’s most competitive districts.

A Christopher Newport University poll released last week found a margin-of-error race, with Luria at 46 percent and Kiggans at 43 percent. Another 10 percent were undecided and 2 percent said they would support another candidate. 

Kiggans has touted her bipartisan credentials in ads, while Luria has accused her of supporting Trump’s agenda. 

New fundraising reports showed Kiggans raised $7.2 million through the end of last month, entering October with $2 million. Luria raised $7.5 million through Sept. 30 and had $1.7 million banked. 

Outside groups have also poured millions into the district. As of Monday, the Congressional Leadership Fund, House Republicans’ main super PAC, had spent $4.1 million in the district, while House Majority PAC, its Democratic counterpart, had spent $2.2 million. No Going Back PAC, which has ties to MAGA Inc., had spent $2.2 million on Kiggans’ behalf.

Inside Elections rates the race a Toss-up. 

1st District: the shifting battleground

Trump carried Virginia’s 1st District, which stretches from the Richmond suburbs to the Chesapeake Bay, by 5 points two years ago, a narrower margin than his prior two elections. Wittman, though, was reelected by 13 points, but the senior member of the House Armed Services Committee faces a more difficult race this year against Taylor, the Henrico County commonwealth’s attorney.

“We always knew it was going to be a competitive race, and we’re going to win,” Wittman told reporters on Capitol Hill last week. 

Through the end of September, Wittman reported raising $5.2 million with $2.2 million on hand. Taylor, meanwhile, hauled in $4.2 million and had $891,000 for the campaign’s closing weeks. 

The bulk of outside spending has come from the Democratic side, with House Majority PAC and Your Community PAC collectively dropping more than $5 million, mostly to attack Wittman. Taylor is running on an anti-corruption agenda, while Wittman has criticized her record as a prosecutor. 

Inside Elections rates the race Lean Republican. 

5th District: the ‘reach’ race

McGuire was first elected to the House two years ago after defeating Rep. Bob Good in a bitter primary for the Southside Virginia district. He won the general election by a 15-point margin. 

Just one Democrat has won the district this century — Perriello in 2008. This year’s race moved onto the battleground relatively late in the campaign, with Inside Elections shifting its rating to Likely Republican earlier this month. 

Perriello, who ran for governor in 2017, has proved a strong fundraiser, taking in $4.5 million through Sept. 30 with $1 million banked. McGuire reported raising $2.2 million through the end of last month and had $479,000 on hand. 

While the top House super PACs haven’t engaged in the race so far, the outside group Our Virginia has spent $1.8 million opposing McGuire. And the Trump-aligned No Going Back PAC and MAGA Inc. have spent a combined $566,000 to shore up the incumbent.