U.S. House · Virginia's 2nd District
J. Matt Baker
CandidateIND
- Race
- U.S. House · Virginia's 2nd District
- Result
- Elaine Luria, projected winner
- Opponents
- Jennifer Kiggans (R); Elaine Luria (D); Bishop Staten (IND)
- Research
- Basic
Party linenone
No recorded floor votes — not a current legislator in our records.
Said vs. did4 statements · 0 votes
This decision belongs to the woman, in consultation with her physician and her faith — not to Washington, and not to fifty statehouses deciding which medications she can buy or which state lines she can cross for care.
Protect legal access to abortion
Compare statements with votes ›On the ballotU.S. House · 2
2026-11-03
| Jennifer Kiggans R | incumbent |
| Elaine Luria D | challenger |
| J. Matt Baker IND | challenger |
| Bishop Staten IND | challenger |
Said vs. did
Each documented position next to the recorded floor votes we map to the same issue. Votes are compared one at a time; no overall stance is inferred from them.
This decision belongs to the woman, in consultation with her physician and her faith — not to Washington, and not to fifty statehouses deciding which medications she can buy or which state lines she can cross for care.
Says abortion decisions belong to the woman and her physician rather than to Washington or state legislatures, and that he would not support a federal ban.[3]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
I'm not against narrow tariffs Congress actually legislates. I'm against a President taxing every family by decree, changing the rate more than fifty times, and calling it a strategy.
Opposes tariffs imposed by presidential decree, while saying he is not against narrow tariffs that Congress legislates.[3]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
I'd support reasserting Congress's role: real votes on the use of force, not after-the-fact briefings;
Says he would support Congress reasserting its role with votes on the use of force.[3]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
I'd push for federal incentives that reward localities for cutting permitting timelines and updating outdated zoning that blocks starter homes and multifamily construction — incentives, not federal zoning mandates from Washington.
Supports federal incentives for localities that cut permitting timelines and update zoning, but not federal zoning mandates.[3]
No recorded floor vote in our key-vote set maps to this issue.
Biography
J. Matt Baker, an independent who describes himself as a Naval Academy graduate, retired Marine Corps colonel, and grid-modernization engineer, lost the November 3, 2026 election for Virginia's 2nd District to Elaine Luria.[1][2]
Basic profile — the most important sourced facts we found.
Baker graduated from Balboa High School and earned a bachelor's degree from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1987, a graduate degree from the University of Maryland in 1988, and a graduate degree from Old Dominion University in 2001.[1] He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1987 to 2015. In his Ballotpedia survey, he says he served 28 years as an infantry officer, commanded 1,200 Marines and Sailors in combat in Afghanistan's Helmand Province, and retired as a colonel in 2015 after commanding the Security Cooperation Group at Fort Story.[1]
Baker lists his profession as engineer and says he has spent the past 11 years modernizing electric power infrastructure for utilities, the military, energy storage companies, and universities.[1] He says he and his wife have lived in Hampton Roads for 14 years and raised three children there.[1] During the campaign, he said he was running on fiscal accountability, defense oversight, and a campaign that took no PAC money.[1] He received 1.4% of the vote to Elaine Luria's 53.0%, according to unofficial results reported by NBC News.[2]
In their own words
Priorities
Statements, quoted without a stance
- Faster transition away from fossil fuels
“Climate Change is Real. Norfolk has the highest rate of sea-level rise on the East Coast. Hampton Roads floods on sunny days.”[4]
On his campaign website
- Expand public health coverage
“I'd fix that math, push more of that fund straight to keeping doors open and staff paid, and fight further Medicaid cuts rural and coastal facilities can't absorb.”[3]
In the VPM/WHRO questionnaire, on hospitals at risk from Medicaid changes
Campaign moneyNo FEC filing summary matched — state candidates file with their state, not the FEC.
Profile: /people/j-matt-baker
Compare all 4 candidates side by side ›
Sources cited in this profile
- 1.J. Matt Baker · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 2.U.S. House · Virginia's 2nd District results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 3.2nd District Q&A: Matt Baker, Jen Kiggans, Elaine Luria, Geral "Bishop" Staten · VPM News / WHRO candidate questionnaire · 2026-09-24 News report
- 4.Matt Baker for Congress · Matt Baker for Congress campaign website Candidate's own words