Former congressional candidate and retired Navy special operator Hung Cao will seek the Republican nomination for Senate in Virginia, he announced Tuesday.
“After twenty-five years defending our nation around the world, I have seen our country take a dark turn. Believe me when I tell you: if America fails, there’s nowhere else to go. That’s why I’m not done fighting for us. I have an obligation to fight back against those who want to control our lives and disrupt our families. Virginia deserves real fighters – not politicians, not bureaucrats, not keyboard warriors. That’s why I’m running to be your United States Senator,” Cao said in a statement.
He also released a digital ad highlighting his military service.
After serving 25 years in the U.S. Navy, I recognize that our country has real problems and we need real fighters in Washington. I’m running for United States Senate because I’m not done fighting for us. pic.twitter.com/IYVmIh1V2c
— Hung Cao (@HungCao_VA) July 18, 2023
Cao grew up in Northern Virginia after his family immigrated from Vietnam in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. He served in the Navy as a Special Operations Officer responsible for explosive ordinance disposal and deep sea recovery for 25 years, deploying to Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Republican Hung Cao To Release New Ad Highlighting Military Record As Race Tightens)
Cao ran in Virginia’s Tenth District during the 2022 midterms. Joe Biden won the district by nearly 20 points in 2020, and incumbent Democrat Jennifer Wexton won by 13. Cao, however, was able to finish within seven points of Wexton in 2022.
Incumbent Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine won reelection by 16 points in 2018. He is seeking a fourth term in the upper chamber after considering retirement. Scott Parkinson, Vice President for Government Affairs at the Club for Growth, is also running in the GOP primary.