2026 Virginia Jewish Voters' Guide

Question: If elected, what will be your top three priorities in the upcoming Congressional term?

Answer: We can fix a lot of problems with economic growth. My focus will continue to be on securing investments for our entrepreneurs with good manufacturing jobs and a relentless focus on 21st century energy solutions, with Virginia farmers large and small able to provide good food for good health, and at the federal level providing a strong focus on preventing fraud and holding those engaged in fraud accountable to the American taxpayer. Obviously, we live in a changing world with changing economies, all with unique pressures on working class families. My focus is and will continue to be on small communities and families, providing the best environment for them to thrive and flourish so that the next generation will look forward to a future brighter than our own.

Question: Antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels in the United States. What do you think Congress’ role in fighting this age-old hatred is and how will you fulfill that role?

Answer: Borrowing a line, antisemitism chooses hatred because hate itself is a faith. If socialism is the religion for people who have lost religion, then antisemitism is the religion for people who abandon reason. There is a reason why people who believe in absolutely nothing somehow seem to agree on antisemitism, and it goes back to one singular point — that in the Western tradition, it is the Jews who give the Western canon the idea of a single omnipresent God, who gives reason alongside faith, who makes universal the ideas of human dignity, equality, and moral underpinnings of the law. As a Virginian, Thomas Jefferson’s Statute for Religious Freedom remains the cornerstone of what I believe in terms of religious freedom, which includes a freedom from coercion and at core a basic freedom from fear as expressed by the Four Freedoms (freedom of religion, freedom of conscience, freedom from want, freedom from fear). Any religion or ideology — whether sacred or secular — which uses violence or coercion as a means to achieve an end is implicitly against what makes us all American. As an elected official, I will remain committed to religious freedom in a free and open public square and will continue to seek out like-minded individuals who share those common sense values. Communication and dialogue replace miscommunication and monologue every time.

Question: How would you address the security concerns of local synagogues, other houses of worship, faith-based agencies, and community centers?

Answer: Many, indeed most, of these concerns can only be addressed at the state and local levels. Yet there are some things we can do from a moral leadership perspective. The rise of violence as a means of expressing political sentiment is not a positive development in the American political landscape. Polling today suggests that too many young people believe either that speech is violence, or that violence or coercion can be applied as an antidote to speech they do not like. At core, we have to get back to the idea that those with whom we disagree are not enemies but opportunities to engage and perhaps even learn a thing or two. That sort of respect isn’t always the endgame of politicians and demagogues, and it may not always be rewarded, but we could certainly use a few more people out there willing to stand tall and stand firm to give courage to the rest of us who do see the problem and want it changed.

Question: If elected, what will be your top three priorities in the upcoming Congressional term?

Answer: I am running for reelection because there is still much more work to do to lower costs for working families, tackle corruption, root out hatred, and deliver tangible results for the Virginians I represent. Everywhere I go, I hear from Virginians struggling with the rising costs of groceries, housing, health care, and utilities. I will keep taking on the powerful interests that drive up costs and fighting for policies that put working families ahead of corporate profits.

Second, I will continue working to restore accountability and trust in government. Public service should be about serving the American people, not enriching yourself or your friends. I have pushed to ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks, crack down on the revolving door between government and special interests, and hold elected officials accountable when they abuse the public trust.

Finally, I will remain focused on delivering tangible results for Virginia’s Seventh District. Whether it is improving care for veterans, supporting our farmers, standing up for underserved communities, protecting federal workers, strengthening our national security, or bringing federal resources back to our communities, my job is to make government work for the people I represent. I came to Congress to solve problems, challenge a broken status quo, and put people ahead of powerful interests. Those will remain my priorities in my second term as well.

Question: Antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels in the United States. What do you think Congress’ role in fighting this age-old hatred is and how will you fulfill that role?

Answer: As a Jewish refugee from Soviet Ukraine, I know the importance of rooting out antisemitism and hatred in all forms. Antisemitism threatens our shared values, our security, and the safety of communities across the country. Violent extremism thrives on dangerous conspiracy theories, antisemitic lies, and rhetoric designed to divide us. Congress needs clear information about how this hatred is being weaponized so we can strengthen our response and keep our communities safe. That is why I have made combating antisemitism a priority in Congress. I led the bipartisan Violent Antisemitism Threat Assessment Act to assess the role antisemitism plays in violent extremist movements and help policymakers better understand and respond to these threats. I have also signed on to legislation condemning antisemitic, hate-filled rhetoric spread by prominent online personalities and calling on social media companies and public leaders to denounce and address it. We cannot allow antisemitism to become normalized, whether online or in our communities. There is no place for antisemitism in America. I will continue working across the aisle to confront hatred and protect Jewish communities.

Question: How would you address the security concerns of local synagogues, other houses of worship, faith-based agencies, and community centers?

Answer: Every synagogue, house of worship, faith-based organization, and community center should be able to serve its community safely and without fear. That means investing in security while also confronting threats before they become acts of violence. I led the bipartisan Violent Antisemitism Threat Assessment Act to better understand how antisemitism is fueling violent extremist movements and strengthen our ability to respond to these threats. I also cosponsored the SACRED Act to make it a federal crime to intentionally intimidate, obstruct, or harass people exercising their right to religious worship within 100 feet of a place of worship. I support funding for stronger coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement. I will continue fighting to ensure Jewish community spaces have the resources, information, and support they need to stay safe.

Question: If elected, what will be your top three priorities in the upcoming Congressional term?

Answer: My top priorities as the Member of Congress for VA-10 will be: 1. Bringing down the cost of living, starting with energy. Families here are paying more for groceries, housing, and now electricity. Loudoun is the data center capital of the world, and that demand is showing up on our bills. Richmond just made it worse. Democrats put Virginia back into RGGI, eliminated our ability to produce our own power, which charges our power plants for every ton of carbon they emit- a charge plants in West Virginia and Pennsylvania do not pay. So we generate less at home, buy more from them, and pay for it twice. I support an all-of-the-above energy policy, including nuclear, natural gas, and solar- everything that works so Virginia produces what Virginia uses. In Congress, I will speed up permitting for new generation and back next-generation nuclear, which runs around the clock. A state that makes its own energy controls its own prices.

Question: Antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels in the United States. What do you think Congress’ role in fighting this age-old hatred is and how will you fulfill that role?

Answer: Antisemitism is the oldest hatred in the world, and Americans have made a mistake in assuming we are immune to it. I spent thirty years in uniform and years at the Pentagon watching how ideologies move: they begin as words decent people tolerate because confronting them is uncomfortable, and they end in violence. We are watching that sequence play out at home. FBI data shows that in 2025, anti-Jewish incidents accounted for 63 percent of all religion-motivated hate crimes in this country, against a community that is roughly two percent of the population. Congress has three jobs here, and I'll do all three. First, fund the protection of Jewish institutions and treat it as the national security line item it is, not a discretionary nice-to-have that shrinks whenever appropriators need an offset. Second, enforce the laws already on the books. That means oversight of DOJ and FBI on hate-crime investigation and prosecution, pressure on the hundreds of law enforcement agencies that still submit incomplete hate-crime data, and enforcement of Title VI against universities that take federal money and then leave Jewish students to fend for themselves. Third, and this one costs nothing but courage, speak with moral clarity and refuse to launder antisemitism when it comes from your own side. Condemning it when your opponents do it is easy. Condemning it when your allies, your donors, or the loudest voices in your own coalition do it is the actual test. I will pass that test every time. Ensuring the safety of the Jewish community requires that we call out antisemitism in all its forms. Too often, antisemitism hides behind the language of anti-Israel and anti-Zionist rhetoric. Reasonable people understand the difference between legitimate criticism of a government and screeds against a people. Yet much of the world holds the only the Jewish state to a standard it applies to no other country, up to and including punishing its leaders or threatening them with imprisonment. We must stand with Israel in its time of need and reject antisemitism wherever it appears.

Question: How would you address the security concerns of local synagogues, other houses of worship, faith-based agencies, and community centers?

Answer: I would work to ensure that local law enforcement and community non-profit organizations have strong working relationships and the resources that they need to ensure the safety of local synagogues, other houses of workshop, faith-based agencies and community centers. I would additionally work to improve the functionality of and the funding for the Non-profit Security Grant Program, the main federal program that pays for security for these entities. It is far too small, and it is designed in a way that shuts out the congregations that need it most. The program allots $300 million a year, for every synagogue, church, mosque, day school, and community center in the country. In FY 2026, The National Capitol Area received $6.47 million to fund more than $15 million in requests. This is unacceptable. The security needs are real, and these entities need real capital to meet those needs. The rules are the other problem. The grant pays you back after you spend the money, so you need the cash up front. And to compete, you need a professional security assessment and a detailed written application. A large institution hires someone to handle all that. A 150-family congregation in Leesburg or a mosque in Manassas cannot and loses out to the ones who did. I will fight for three changes: steady year-to-year funding so congregations can plan; money up front instead of only paid back; and a simpler application, with the federal government providing the security assessment for free. My office will hold a yearly workshop in each of VA-10’s counties to walk congregations through it. Safety shouldn't depend on whether you can afford a grant writer.

Question: If elected, what will be your top three priorities in the upcoming Congressional term?

Answer: In a second term, I hope to continue the work I have already started to lower costs for Virginia families – including the cost of health care. Whether it’s the price of a first home, groceries, or prescription drugs, costs are making life unaffordable for too many Virginians. I look forward to continuing to work on legislation to bring costs down in our community and expand access to quality health care. Our district is also home to tens of thousands of federal workers and government contractors, and we have seen the impacts of the Trump Administration’s federal cuts firsthand. I will continue to stand up and protect our federal workers and contractors. I am also committed to make sure that our government holds itself accountable and is working for our community. We have seen too many examples of self dealing and corruption, and we need change – including common sense stock trading bans for the Members of Congress. Making sure that our communities are safe and heard is also a top priority: safe from the rise in gun violence, and safe from acts of hate – including anti-semitism. And heard when facing new data centers in our neighborhoods. All of our communities deserve a voice.

Question: Antisemitism has reached unprecedented levels in the United States. What do you think Congress’ role in fighting this age-old hatred is and how will you fulfill that role?

Answer: Congress must be committed to combatting anti-semitism and hate in all forms. As anti-semitism continues to rise, I have championed legislation and advocated for funding to keep our communities safe. I have pushed for nonprofit security grants, for funding for the Office of the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, and I have co-sponsored legislation, such as the Pray Safe Act, to establish security best practices for nonprofits and houses of worship. Dating back to my service in the Virginia General Assembly, when anti-semitic graffiti appeared in my community, I introduced legislation requiring localities to take down hate speech graffiti.

Question: How would you address the security concerns of local synagogues, other houses of worship, faith-based agencies, and community centers?

Answer: In Congress, I have worked to safeguard the right to worship freely and safely, and always keep my door open to hear any concerns that communities have. In addition to supporting legislation to increase access to security for houses of worship, I have also pushed for the Improving Reporting to Prevent Hate Act to assess the accuracy of data on hate crimes. Accurate reporting is critical to ensuring that law enforcement and our communities have the data they need.