Elaine Luria

Elaine Luria is a retired Navy commander and former Democratic U.S. Representative for Virginia's 2nd District (2019-2023). She won the seat in 2018, was re-elected in 2020, and lost it to Jennifer Kiggans in 2022; this year she won the Democratic primary and is seeking a rematch. Her campaign website says she is running on lowering costs, making health care more affordable, and supporting veterans and military families.[1][2][3]

Luria was born in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1975 and graduated from Indian Springs School in 1993.[2] She graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1997 with a bachelor's degree in physics and history, and earned a master's degree in engineering management from Old Dominion University in 2004 while serving in the Navy.[2] She served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, mostly aboard combat ships as a nuclear-trained surface warfare officer, rising to the rank of commander; her campaign website says she deployed six times, and Wikipedia reports she commanded Assault Craft Unit Two from 2014 until retiring in 2017.[1][2][3] After retiring, she founded an arts and crafts business called Mermaid Factory in Hampton Roads.[1][3]

Luria ran for Congress in 2018, defeating Republican incumbent Scott Taylor, and won re-election against him in 2020.[2] In the House she represented Virginia's 2nd District from 2019 to 2023, serving on the Veterans' Affairs, Homeland Security and Armed Services committees and chairing the Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs.[1][2] According to Wikipedia, she was an original member of the Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 Attack on the United States Capitol, appointed in 2021, and was elected vice chair of the Armed Services Committee for the 117th Congress.[2] She lost re-election to Kiggans in 2022, 52% to 48%, and won the August 4, 2026 Democratic primary with 80.4% of the vote.[1]

Researched from the cited sources on 2026-10-21.