U.S. House · Virginia's 5th District
Virginia's 5th Congressional District (Southside and Central Virginia, including Lynchburg, Danville, and Charlottesville-area exurbs)
General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
RESULT · UNOFFICIAL UNTIL CERTIFIED
John McGuire, projected winner
| Candidate | Votes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| John McGuire III | 181,630 | 50.1% |
| Tom Perriello | 174,460 | 48.1% |
| Cooke Harvey | 5,808 | 1.6% |
| Total Write-ins | 715 | 0.2% |
About 98% of the expected vote counted. As of November 9. Winners take office next year. Counts can change until states certify. NBC News ↗
Sources re-checked September 25, 2026 · How we research
- Incumbent John McGuire defeated Melanie Lucero in the August 4, 2026 Republican primary, 84.4% to 15.6%. Former Rep. Bob Good, whom McGuire defeated in the 2024 Republican primary, did not qualify for the 2026 primary ballot. Tom Perriello, who represented this district in Congress from 2009 to 2011, won the Democratic primary with 79.8% of the vote over Suzanne Krzyzanowski and Robert Tracinski.[1][2][3]
On the November 3 ballot · 3 candidates
Issue evidence — side by side
Recorded votes, documented positions and candidates’ own words are shown with sources. “In their own words” quotes a candidate on the topic without inferring a stance. Votes describe specific bills or motions; they do not establish overall support or opposition to a broad issue. A dash means our research has no evidence on that topic, not that the candidate has no position.
Protect legal access to abortion
- John McGuireOpposes[19]
Cosponsored H.R. 722, the Life at Conception Act (119th Congress), which would extend legal personhood from the moment of fertilization.
- Tom Perriello—
- Cooke Harvey—
Stricter gun laws
- John McGuireOpposes[18]
Cosponsored H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (119th Congress), which would require states to honor other states' concealed-carry permits.
- Tom Perriello—
- Cooke Harvey—
Expand immigration enforcement and deportations
- John McGuire
- Tom Perriello—
- Cooke Harvey—
Loosen zoning rules to build more housing
- John McGuire—
- Tom PerrielloSupports[8]
His campaign housing page calls for building more housing and cutting red tape to bring costs down.
- Cooke Harvey—
Raise taxes on high earners or corporations
- John McGuire
- Tom Perriello—
- Cooke Harvey—
Expand public health coverage
- John McGuire
- Tom PerrielloRecorded votes[36]
Voted yes on Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590, 2010-03-21).
- Cooke Harvey—
Faster transition away from fossil fuels
- John McGuire
- Tom Perriello—
- Cooke Harvey—
Broad tariffs on imported goods
- John McGuireRecorded votes[28]
Voted no on Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada (H.J. Res. 72, 2026-02-11), which disapproved the tariffs on Canadian imports.
- Tom PerrielloOpposes[6]
His campaign issues page lists ending the current tariffs as his most urgent priority, citing their effect on grocery prices.
- Cooke Harvey—
Require documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote
- John McGuireRecorded votes[24]
Voted yes on SAVE Act (H.R. 22, 2025-04-10).
- Tom Perriello—
- Cooke Harvey—
Require Congress to approve U.S. military action abroad
- John McGuireRecorded votes[26][27]
Voted no on War Powers Resolution on Venezuela (H. Con. Res. 64, 2025-12-17), which would have directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Venezuela absent congressional authorization. Voted no on War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities (H. Con. Res. 86, 2026-06-03), which directed the removal of U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran absent congressional authorization.
- Tom PerrielloSupports[7]
His campaign foreign-policy page says Congress should restore its role in authorizing foreign wars and states a rule that Congress vote before the U.S. fights.
- Cooke Harvey—
Bar transgender women and girls from women's and girls' school sports
- John McGuireSupports[17]
Cosponsored H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (119th Congress), which would bar transgender girls and women from girls' and women's school sports programs that receive federal funds.
- Tom Perriello—
- Cooke Harvey—
Key votes in Congress — side by side
Research notes & limits
Neither major-party candidate has completed Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey, and no current (2026) campaign-website statements of priorities were located within the research budget; McGuire's and Perriello's official House and Congress-service records substitute for stated priorities. Independent candidate Cooke Harvey has no biography or public statements available on Ballotpedia, so the entry is minimal. Cooke Harvey: no campaign website was found; priorities come from the Virginia Mercury voter guide and a Mercury phone interview (Oct. 5, 2026). No statements matching the guide's issues were found. Independent candidate Cooke Harvey has no Ballotpedia biography and no campaign website was found; his biography rests on one news profile, so the entry is minimal.
Sources · 41
Researched 2026-09-25. Green citations are official government records.
- 1.United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 2.John McGuire · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 3.Tom Perriello · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 4.Roll Call 46 — On Passage: H.R. 1, American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · 2009-01-28 Official record
- 5.Roll Call 165 — On Motion to Concur in Senate Amendments: H.R. 3590, Affordable Care Act · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · 2010-03-21 Official record
- 6.Issues and Priorities · Tom Perriello for Congress Candidate's own words
- 7.Foreign Policy & Ending the Forever Wars · Tom Perriello for Congress Candidate's own words
- 8.A Home You Can Afford · Tom Perriello for Congress Candidate's own words
- 9.Rep. John McGuire applauds failure of War Powers Resolution vote in the House of Representatives · Office of Rep. John McGuire · 2026-03-06 Official record
- 10.Rep. John McGuire celebrates passage of the Save America Act · Office of Rep. John McGuire · 2026-02-13 Official record
- 11.U.S. Representative, 5th Congressional District | Voter Guide: 2026 Virginia Votes · Virginia Mercury · 2026-10-19 News report
- 12.Perriello seeks another 5th District upset as McGuire leans on Trump · Virginia Mercury · 2026-10-05 News report
- 13.John McGuire · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 14.About | Representative John McGuire · Office of Rep. John McGuire · 2026-10-21 Official record
- 15.Former Rep. Tom Perriello jumps into the 5th District race amid redistricting upheaval · Cardinal News · 2026-10-21 News report
- 16.Virginia's 5th District election results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 17.H.R. 28, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act (Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act of 2025) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
- 18.H.R. 38, the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2025) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
- 19.H.R. 722, the Life at Conception Act (Life at Conception Act) — sponsors and cosponsors · Congress.gov Official record
- 20.Roll call: Laken Riley Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-01-22 Official record
- 21.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-05-22 Official record
- 22.H.R. 1 (119th Congress) — One Big Beautiful Bill Act: text and summary · Congress.gov Official record
- 23.Roll call: One Big Beautiful Bill Act — final passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-07-03 Official record
- 24.Roll call: SAVE Act — proof-of-citizenship voter registration · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-04-10 Official record
- 25.Roll call: Breaking the Gridlock Act — ACA subsidy extension · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-01-08 Official record
- 26.Roll call: War Powers Resolution on Venezuela · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2025-12-17 Official record
- 27.Roll call: War Powers Resolution directing removal of forces from Iran hostilities · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-06-03 Official record
- 28.Roll call: Resolution disapproving tariffs on Canada · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2026-02-11 Official record
- 29.Tom Perriello · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 30.Former Rep. Tom Perriello jumps into the 5th District race amid redistricting upheaval · Cardinal News · 2026-10-21 News report
- 31.Perriello says the fight starts now for Virginia's 5th District after winning primary · WSET · 2026-10-21 News report
- 32.Roll Call 165 — On Motion to Concur in Senate Amendments: H.R. 3590, Affordable Care Act · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives · 2010-03-21 Official record
- 33.Cooke Harvey · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 34.Perriello mounts comeback bid in Virginia's 5th District · Virginia Mercury News report
- 35.U.S. House · Virginia's 5th District results 2026 · NBC News News report
- 36.Roll call: Affordable Care Act — final House passage · Office of the Clerk, U.S. House · 2010-03-21 Official record
- 37.United States House of Representatives elections in Virginia, 2026 · Ballotpedia · 2026-09-25 Reference
- 38.Declaration of independents: Cooke Costa Harvey makes November ballot; Chris Register falls short · Cville Right Now · 2026-10-21 News report
- 39.Cooke Harvey · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-21 Reference
- 40.2026 general election: 5th Congressional District · Virginia Mercury News report
- 41.U.S. House · Virginia's 5th District results 2026 · NBC News News report