Vega, Adkins announce congressional campaigns for new 7th District seat in Prince William, Stafford

Yesli Vega announced her campaign for Virginia’s 7th Congressional District, which includes a portion of Prince William County and all of Stafford.

The Republican is two years into her first elected term, representing the Coles Magisterial District on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. She joins fellow Republican Supervisor Jeanine Lawson, running for the 10th District Congressional seat.

Republican Gary Adkins of Stafford also announced his bid for the seat.

The announcements come after the Virginia State Supreme Court approved new congressional maps on Tuesday, splitting Prince William County between two congressional districts. Residents who live east of Hoadly Raod live in District 7, while those who live west live in District 10.

“From Prince William to Culpeper, Virginians are being pummeled by the current policies and decisions coming out of D.C.,” states Vega on Facebook. “Our system of checks and balances was created for such a time as this when disastrous one-party rule no longer served the best interests and will of the people.”

This year, incoming Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin tapped Vega to lead his statewide Hispanic campaign outreach, putting her in charge of the “Latinos for Youngkin” initiative. Incoming Attorney General Jason Miyares placed Vega on his transition team due, in part, to Vega’s prior work in law enforcement.

On the Board of County Supervisors, Vega has voted to conserve undeveloped land, to maintain the county’s 287(g) program once used to identify illegal aliens in the county jail, and against additional funding for the arts, saying some organizations are overly dependent upon government, and not public donations to sustain their programs.

Republican Gary Adkins of Stafford also announced his bid for the seat. “Virginia’s new 7th Congressional District deserves a Congressman who will steadfastly defend our Constitutional Republic; fight relentlessly for conservative principles and values; protect our national sovereignty; defend our nation and our communities against aggressors; work tirelessly to control spending and lower the tax burden; and protect our right to life, liberty, and equal justice,” Adkins posted to Facebook.

Adkins is a 20-year Air Force Veteran whose lived in the county since 1990. Since retiring from the military, Adkins has held senior executive leadership positions in the defense, intelligence, and geospatial intelligence sectors.

Abagail Spanberger, who lives outside Richmond, represents District 7. The Democrat reportedly told the Richmond Times-Dispatch she was considering moving north, purchasing a home in the newly-drawn District 7, and campaigning to keep the seat.

Earlier this month, a draft map of the new 7th District included only Prince William and Stafford counties, with the cities of Manassas, Manassas Park, and Fredericksburg. Several Democrats in Prince William County announced they were considering a run for the seat, including former Delegate and gubernatorial candidate Jennifer Carroll Foy, Virginia State Senator Jeremy McPike, and Prince William County Schools Chair At-large Babur Lateef.

With the new maps in place, candidates will move to Primary Elections usually scheduled in June. The General Election will be held Tuesday, November 8, 2022, when every U.S. House of Representatives seat is up for grabs.