FilAm Political Candidates Seek Election in Virginia, Maryland in 2026 U.S. Midterm Elections

As Americans prepare to vote on November 3, Filipino American candidates in Virginia and Maryland are seeking to continue their public service or win new seats in government, reflecting the community’s growing involvement in American politics.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — For many Filipino Americans, seeing someone with shared roots serve in government is a source of pride and a reminder of how far the community has come. As the United States prepares for its November 3, 2026 midterm elections, Filipino American candidates in Virginia and Maryland are seeking positions in Congress and state government, continuing a tradition of public service while helping keep the community’s political presence visible.

U.S. Representative Bobby Scott of Virginia, Maryland Delegate Kris Valderrama and Republican congressional candidate Tony Sabio are among the Filipino American political figures participating in this year’s elections in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region.

Scott and Valderrama are seeking reelection after years of serving their constituents, while Sabio is challenging an incumbent member of Congress in Northern Virginia. Their campaigns reflect different political backgrounds and priorities but share a connection to the broader story of Filipino American participation in the country’s political life.

Their candidacies also demonstrate that Filipino American political involvement extends across party lines, with members of the community pursuing public office as Democrats, Republicans and independents.

Bobby Scott: Carrying Filipino Heritage into Congress

Scott, a Democrat representing Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District, is seeking another term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He faces Republican Edwin Rivera Jr. and independent candidates Makiba Gaines and Steve Woll in the general election.

Scott, whose maternal grandfather was Filipino, has long been recognized as one of the prominent members of Congress with Filipino ancestry. His political career has spanned decades, making him an established figure in Virginia and national politics.

Throughout his congressional career, Scott has focused on education, workers’ rights and civil rights, issues that affect families and communities across Virginia. His continued presence in Congress is particularly meaningful in the Hampton Roads region, where Filipino Americans have established deep roots through generations of military service, immigration and community involvement.

For Filipino American families who have made Virginia their home, Scott’s political journey reflects a broader story of immigrants and their descendants becoming part of the country’s civic and political life. His career also shows how Filipino heritage can remain an important part of a person’s identity while serving a diverse constituency.

Tony Sabio: Filipino American Republican Challenges Incumbent in Northern Virginia

In Northern Virginia, Filipino American Republican Tony Sabio is seeking a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, challenging Democratic incumbent Don Beyer in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District.

The race also includes Libertarian Shelly Arnoldi and independent candidate Tim Sharman, giving voters several choices in a district that has traditionally favored Democratic candidates.

Sabio, who was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to a Filipino father and Puerto Rican mother, brings a background in military service, national security and private-sector leadership to his congressional campaign.

A veteran of the U.S. Navy, Sabio also served with the U.S. Secret Service and the Central Intelligence Agency before pursuing work in security consulting and business. His professional experience has become a central part of his campaign, particularly his emphasis on national security, economic development and government accountability.

His campaign has highlighted concerns involving rising energy costs, healthcare affordability, small-business growth and job creation. Sabio has also advocated expanding Northern Virginia’s private-sector economy to reduce its dependence on federal employment, an issue particularly relevant in a region where many residents work for government agencies and federal contractors.

Virginia’s 8th Congressional District includes Arlington, Alexandria, Falls Church and portions of Fairfax County. The district’s strong Democratic voting history presents a challenge for Republican candidates, but Sabio is seeking to appeal to voters through his professional experience and policy proposals.

His candidacy adds another dimension to Filipino American political participation in the Washington metropolitan region. While Scott has built a long congressional career as a Democrat, Sabio is seeking public office as a Republican, illustrating how Filipino Americans participate in politics through different parties and political perspectives.

For Filipino Americans in Northern Virginia, Sabio’s campaign also reflects the community’s presence beyond cultural organizations, professional associations and local civic activities. His decision to seek federal office places another candidate with Filipino heritage in a congressional contest that could shape representation in the region.

Kris Valderrama: Continuing a Family Legacy of Public Service

Across the state line in Maryland, Delegate Kris Valderrama is hoping to continue her work in the state legislature.

A Democrat representing District 26 in Prince George’s County, Valderrama is among five candidates competing for three seats in the Maryland House of Delegates. She has served in the legislature since 2007 and currently chairs the House Economic Matters Committee, which handles legislation affecting businesses, consumers and economic development.

Public service has long been part of Valderrama’s family history. Her father, David Valderrama, was born in Manila and became the first Filipino American elected to a state legislature in the continental United States.

His achievement opened an important chapter in Filipino American political history, and his daughter has continued that legacy through her own years of service in Maryland.

For the Valderrama family, politics has become more than a personal career. Their story reflects the opportunities that Filipino immigrants and their children have found in the United States, including the chance to participate in decisions that shape their communities.

Kris Valderrama’s continued involvement in Maryland politics is another example of how Filipino American families have contributed to public leadership across generations.

Her legislative career also demonstrates how representation can extend beyond ethnic identity, with elected officials working on policies that affect residents from many different backgrounds.

Ike Puzon: A Republican Challenger in Maryland’s Legislative Race

Another candidate in Maryland’s District 26 race is Republican Ike Puzon, a 77-year-old retired naval aviator who advanced from the Republican primary.

While his name has emerged in a review of possible Filipino American candidates in the region, his Filipino ancestry has not been independently confirmed.

Puzon is competing in the same district as Valderrama, adding another contender to the race for the three available seats.

His candidacy brings a different professional and political background to the contest. His experience as a naval aviator forms part of his personal history, while his Republican affiliation places him in a race that also includes Democratic candidates.

His participation adds to the choices facing District 26 voters as they prepare to select their representatives in the Maryland legislature.

Filipino American Representation Beyond the November Ballot

Filipino American participation in Virginia politics also extends beyond this year’s congressional races.

State Delegates Kelly Convirs-Fowler and Michael Feggans, both associated with the Virginia Beach area, are among the elected officials with Filipino roots serving in the state legislature.

Their positions are not on the November ballot because Virginia held its House of Delegates elections in 2025, but their presence in state government adds to the community’s political visibility.

The Virginia Beach and Hampton Roads areas have long been important centers of Filipino American life on the East Coast. Many Filipino families settled in these communities through connections to the U.S. Navy, eventually establishing businesses, community organizations and cultural traditions that continue to thrive today.

Over time, these communities have become increasingly involved in local affairs, including education, public service and government.

The political careers of Scott, Convirs-Fowler and Feggans reflect the longstanding presence of Filipino Americans in southeastern Virginia, while Sabio’s congressional candidacy highlights participation in Northern Virginia.

Together, these examples show how Filipino American political involvement has developed across different parts of the state.

Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia: A Growing Political Presence

Northern Virginia has become another important area of Filipino American political participation, with Sabio’s congressional campaign bringing additional attention to the community’s involvement in federal elections.

The region’s proximity to Washington, D.C., and its concentration of federal agencies, military installations, government contractors and international organizations have attracted Filipino American professionals and families over the years.

Sabio’s campaign in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District demonstrates how members of the community are seeking public office in an area where national policy and local concerns often intersect.

In Washington, D.C., however, a review of available election information did not identify confirmed Filipino American candidates in the District’s mayoral, council, congressional delegate or State Board of Education races.

No additional confirmed Filipino American candidates were identified in the local council and school board contests reviewed in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Northern Virginia, although that does not rule out the possibility that others are running.

One challenge in tracking Filipino American representation is that election records generally do not identify candidates by ethnicity. Unless candidates publicly discuss their family backgrounds or are featured in community publications, their Filipino heritage may not be readily known.

This means smaller local races, particularly those involving school boards, neighborhood commissions and other community positions, can easily be overlooked.

Filipino Americans Continue to Build Their Political Presence

While much of the national attention surrounding Filipino American candidates in the 2026 elections has focused on states such as California, Nevada, New York and Hawaii, the Washington metropolitan region has its own history of Filipino American civic participation.

Families who arrived in the United States seeking better opportunities have helped build communities that are now seeing more of their members take part in public leadership.

The candidacies of Scott, Valderrama and Sabio illustrate different paths into American politics.

Scott represents an established congressional career shaped by decades of public service. Valderrama continues a family legacy that began with her father’s historic election to the Maryland legislature. Sabio, meanwhile, represents a Filipino American candidate seeking to enter Congress through a Republican campaign built around his military, national security and business experience.

Their different backgrounds also demonstrate that Filipino American political identity does not necessarily translate into a single political position or party affiliation.

For Filipino Americans, political representation is not simply about having a familiar surname or shared ancestry on the ballot. It is also about seeing members of their community participate in discussions and decisions affecting education, employment, healthcare, economic opportunities, national security and the future of the places they call home.

At the same time, candidates must earn the support of voters from many different backgrounds, making their work, qualifications and policy positions central to their campaigns.

Looking Ahead to the November 3 Elections

As Election Day approaches, Scott and Valderrama are asking voters to give them another opportunity to serve, while Sabio is seeking to win a congressional seat in Northern Virginia.

Their campaigns are separate contests involving different constituencies and political priorities, but all three reflect a continuing Filipino American presence in American politics.

For the Filipino American community in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia region, the elections provide another opportunity to see individuals with shared heritage participate in the democratic process, whether as longtime incumbents or first-time congressional contenders.

Whatever the results on November 3, their candidacies are part of a larger story of Filipino Americans finding their place in the political life of the United States.

From immigrant families establishing new roots to later generations serving in legislative chambers or seeking elected office, the community’s journey continues to be reflected in the people who step forward to represent their fellow Americans.