Derrick Anderson, former Special Forces Green Beret, is once more running for Congress to represent Virginia's 7th Congressional District. Anderson announced his plans to run earlier this month, and now Townhall has learned he's earned the endorsement of Rep. Barry Moore (R-AL), an Alabama National Guard veteran.
As a Special Forces Green Beret with six deployments, I am ready to serve in another way: Representing you, the people of #VA07, in Congress.
— Derrick Anderson (@DerrickforVA) September 18, 2023
This is the district that raised me and I vow to be your voice in Washington every single day.
Join me. https://t.co/x1ZtU5mvg6 pic.twitter.com/z7tw08xh9p
"We need strong conservative leaders in Congress who can step out of the Washington bubble and ensure the voices of the American people are heard loud and clear in Congress," Moore said in a statement, going on to draw similarities between himself and the candidate. "Derrick Anderson is a Special Forces Green Beret and is running to represent the same people who raised him into the man he is today, similar to the path I took to Congress. I am proud to support this young veteran who I know will be a strong conservative in the House and will represent the people of VA-07 admirably."
Anderson's own statement drew similarities as well. "Congressman Barry Moore is an Alabama National Guard veteran and conservative fighter in the House and I’m honored to have his support in my race for Congress. Congressman Moore represents the people who raised him and the town that shaped him into the man he is today, the same path I am pursuing now in my run for Congress. I am grateful for his support," he said.
As the Washington Examiner reported earlier this week, Anderson also has the support of Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-WI), as well as Reps. Brian Mast (R-FL) and Mike Waltz (R-FL). All have had military experience, with Waltz being the only Green Beret in Congress. Waltz had endorsed Anderson in 2022 as well, as Townhall reported a the time.
Anderson came in second in a crowded field of six candidates for the Republican nomination in 2022 behind Yesli Vega, who went on to lose to Rep. Abigail Spanberger, the incumbent Democrat who was first elected as part of the blue wave in 2018. She replaced former Rep. Dave Brat, a Republican.
Ballotpedia lists Spanberger as running for reelection in 2024, though a POLITICO report from late July mentioned she has ambitions to run for governor in 2025. A report from the Associated Press from last week noted that a spokesperson refused to comment on plans. "Spanberger has previously declined to comment to news outlets, saying she’s focused on this fall’s legislative elections in Virginia," the piece also noted.
Virginia's 7th district will again be one of the key races to watch, especially if Spanberger ends up not running. Last November she won with 52.3 percent of the vote to Vega's 47.6 percent. The race at various points had gone back and forth between being a toss-up and favoring Spanberger.
Another race to watch involves Virginia's 10th Congressional District, since, as Madeline covered earlier this month, Rep. Jennifer Wexton, a Democrat, is not running for reelection due to a health diagnosis.
While Republicans faced disappointing midterms last November, they did manage to unseat former Rep. Elaine Luria, a Democrat who represented Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, and replace her with now Rep. Jen Kiggans.
Spanberger and Kiggans had been among the first members placed on the "Frontline" list for vulnerable incumbents in March 2021 by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC).