From the city of Richmond, the 4th Congressional District stretches south to the North Carolina border. Some 73 percent of the voters reside in Richmond, Chesterfield County, or Henrico County.
The economies of the Richmond-area counties and the the more-rural counties to the south – including Brunswick, Sussex, and Surry – couldn’t be more different. Richmond is Virginia’s banking center, as well as the seat of state government. Brunswick’s, by contrast, is built on retail, manufacturing, and farming.
Previous officeholders include Republican Robert Williams Daniel, Jr., who held the seat from 1973 to 1983. His father served in the Virginia Senate and survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. In 2001, Democrat Donald McEachin became the first Black selected by either major party to run for Attorney General of Virginia, a race he lost. He won his race for Congress in 2016, and was re-elected three more times. He died in 2022 shortly after re-election.
Platforms
INCUMBENT: Jennifer McClellan (D-VA)
CHALLENGER: Jason Brown II (I)
CHALLENGER: Andrew Odell Kersey (I) – No campaign page
State of the Race as of August 18
Cook Political Report: Solid Democrat
UVA Sabato Crystal Ball: Solid Democrat
270 to Win: Solid Democrat
VPAP: Solid Democrat
In a district that Kamala Harris carried by 33 points in 2024, Jennifer McClellan looks to have a smooth glide path to re-election. First elected in a 2023 special election, affordability has been McClellan’s main focus. In Congress she co-sponsored the Power for the People Act to address rising energy bills, and voted for the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act. This campaign continues to lean into those issues. In Congress, McClellan serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
Independent Jason Brown II is running a progressive campaign that wants to abolish Immigration Customs and Enforcement (ICE), deliver free healthcare to all, fund reparations for the redevelopment of Gaza and the West Bank, better fund public education, and provide reparations for Native nations.
A second independent, Andre Odell Kersey is listed as a candidate by VPAP, but at this time has no campaign page and no reported financial reports.
What to Watch: All about the Funding
As of July 1, 2026, VPAP reports that McClellan has some $192,000 on hand. By comparison, in Brown was showing less than $10.
If money is the deciding factor, this race strongly favors McClellan. The independent candidates will need to generate enough name recognition and organization to be more than curiosity candidates.
