Two more Republicans announce candidacies for Virginia's 10th Congressional District

Two more Republicans have launched campaigns for Virginia’s 10th Congressional District in the early days of 2024.

Republican Alexander H. Isaac Jr., a retired military officer, announced his candidacy for the 10th District on Tuesday, a week after John Beatty, a former member of the Loudoun County School Board, announced his bid.

Two other Republicans have announced campaigns in the Democratic-leaning district: lawyer and businessman Mike Clancy and educator Brooke Taylor. There are a dozen Democratic candidates currently in the race as U.S. Rep. Jennifer Wexton plans to finish her term and step down due to health reasons.

In September, Wexton announced she had been diagnosed with progressive supra-nuclear palsy, which she described as “a kind of ‘Parkinson’s on steroids.”

The 10th District includes all of Loudoun County -- making up more than half its voters -- along with all of Fauquier and Rappahannock counties and the cities of Manassas and Manassas Park. It also includes the western half of Prince William County and about 15,000 voters in the Clifton and Union Mill areas of southern Fairfax County.

Isaac

"Throughout my entire professional journey, both as a soldier or civilian, I have dedicated myself to serving the greater good and to helping to preserve and protect the fundamental values that make our country an enduring force for good and a beacon of hope for people all around the world,” Isaac said in a statement. “In this pivotal moment, our country faces challenges that have compelled me to step up as a citizen servant and run for the U.S. Congress serving the 10th District."

Isaac's candidacy is “fueled by a deep concern for the erosion of fundamental American values exemplified by the myriad of divisive policies implemented by the Biden administration,” according to a press release from the campaign. He expresses particular concern about “the leftward shift in educational institutions, corporations, and even the military.

"I've lived in the 10th District for over 20 years. I have an intimate understanding of the issues and concerns of my friends and neighbors, and the unique needs of the 10th District’s constituents."

Isaac has more than 23 years as an U.S. Army veteran including service in Iraq and the Middle East. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, receiving a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in biotechnology from the University of Maryland, University College.

Beatty 

Beatty represented the Catoctin District on the Loudoun County School Board from 2020 to 2023 and is currently the IT director at The Heights School in Potomac, Maryland, according to his campaign website. 

Beatty’s website says the campaign will focus on “three R’s—Reform, Representation, and the Republic.” The campaign listed four points of focus:

• "Uncap the House by introducing a new apportionment bill.

• "Create a new set of rules in the House of Representatives to balance power between the Speaker and the People's Representatives. 

• "Write new campaign finance legislation limiting the influence of 'dark' money in American elections.

• "Introduce a bill instituting term limits for congressional members."

“Politics has broken down," Beatty said in announcing his campaign. "Our politicians prioritize attacking one another personally on and off the television, and the House floor is nothing but a performance stage for C-SPAN. Our representatives no longer represent the people, and the people know it. Something has to change, and it's not just who represents Virginia’s 10th District. We need to reform the way the federal government works.” 

Beatty was born in Portsmouth and grew up in the D.C. area, graduating from Virginia Tech with a bachelor’s in computer science and minors in business and mathematics, according to his campaign.

Twelve Democrats are seeking their party’s nomination, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. They are: State Sen. Jennifer Boysko; Del. Eileen Filler-Corn; Army veteran Brandon Garay; Del. Dan Helmer; communications and defense specialist Krystle Kaul; George Mason University Law Library librarian Mark Leighton; Del. Michelle Maldonado; Bristow attorney and former House of Delegates candidate Travis Nembhard; a former NSA officer, CIA agent and retired disabled veteran Adrian Pokharel; former Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni; Del. David Reid; and Sen. Suhas Subramanyam.