Democratic US Rep. Jennifer McClellan is projected to win reelection in Virginia’s 4th Congressional District, according to The Associated Press.
AP called the race at 8:33 p.m. Tuesday, with McClellan leading Republican challenger Robert “Family Man” Murray by a 67.1%–31.3% margin after roughly a third of votes had been counted.
McClellan’s victory continues her representation of a district that extends fromGreater Richmond through a large swath of Southside Virginia. Political analysts have long considered the 4th a stronghold for Democrats.
McClellan first won the seat in a 2023 special election after the death of longtime Rep. Donald McEachin, becoming Virginia’s first Black woman elected to Congress. She won reelection comfortably in 2024, with over 67% of the vote.
This year’s race centered on issues including healthcare affordability, Medicaid funding and reproductive rights. In anOctober interview with VPM News, the candidates offered differing approaches on the issues, including the federal government’s role in reproductive policy.
As she waspreparing for the November general election, McClellan (who did not face a primary challenge) told VPM News that she would return to Washington with a focus on lowering costs for families, expanding access to healthcare and protecting reproductive rights.
McClellan has already outlined her legislative priorities, which she calls the “All-American Family Agenda,” aimed at making it easier for families to afford everyday expenses and plan for the future.
She has also called for reversing Medicaid cuts and restoring enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits to help people afford health insurance.
McClellan has argued that those cuts — instituted as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” championed by President Donald Trump —threaten coverage for thousands of Virginians and put additional pressure on hospitals and healthcare providers.
“We can’t begin to address the healthcare crisis without reversing the Medicaid cuts and reinstating the enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act,” McClellan toldVPM News last month. “That’s Day 1.”
Housing is another priority for McClellan, who says construction costs have outpaced what middle- and lower-income families can afford.
“I will build on the success of the21st Century ROAD to Housing Actpassed this year to increase housing supply at lower costs, cut red tape on construction, and stop large institutional investors from buying up single-family homes,” McClellan said in response toVPM News’ September candidate survey.
Note: Election results are unofficial until certified by the state.
Copyright 2026 VPM
