Mike Pruitt
Democrat
About
Sourced verbatim from the candidate's website.
Why I'm running
I’m running for Congress because our country is at a turning point. The gap between working people and the billionaire class is the widest it's been in a century. Our district is hurting, and people know it, whether they feel it in their heart or in their aching back. From Danville to Charlottesville and everywhere in between, working people aren't helpless—they're mad. They're mad their paycheck looks the same it did a decade ago. They're mad that the RiteAid where they get their prescriptions filled is closing. They're mad their son can't afford to build a home next door like he'd always planned. That's a fire that I understand, because it burns in me too. I know what it feels like to chase something better, and, as someone who has devoted my career to public service, I know what it takes to fight for it. Our campaign is building a future where Virginia’s working families don’t just get by—they thrive.
Meet Mike
Mike grew up in a blue-collar family in a rural corner of the Blue Ridge. With the help of a military scholarship Mike graduated from Duke University before commissioning into the U.S. Navy, serving 3 tours as a Surface Warfare Officer. He led teams aboard two warships, deploying twice to combat zones in the Middle East to defend American citizens and support operations against ISIS. He later joined the Office of Naval Intelligence, where he served as a senior analyst and team leader. Since leaving the Navy, Mike has continued his commitment to public service. He was elected to the Albemarle County Board of Supervisors in 2023, where he's worked to make housing more affordable, expand broadband access, and create more good paying jobs for all levels of education. A graduate of UVA Law School, Mike also works as a civil rights lawyer for a Virginia-based nonprofit, working on housing, discrimination, and helping those who have been mistreated by corporations and landlords. Mike lives in Albemarle County with his husband, an Episcopal minister, and his rescue dog, Jo.
Campaign Finance
Data from the FEC. 2026 cycle.
Total Raised
$370K
Total Spent
$220K
Cash on Hand
$150K
Funding Sources
Individual Contributions$370K
Self-Funding$320
Contributions by Size
Under $200$170K
$200–$999$45K
$1K–$1,999$39K
$2K+$44K
Positions
Sourced verbatim from the candidate's website.
An Economy that Works for Working People
Minimum Wage & Worker Pay
People across Central and Southside Virginia are hard workers. From teachers, to roofers, to small business owners, to parents just trying to get through the day—we know hard work and we know what it looks like to show up for one another. But right now, the system is stacked against hardworking people here at home. The gap between billionaires and working families is the widest it's been in a century, and Washington politicians aren't standing up to corporations that took everything they could then left our communities behind. We need a just tax system where the wealthy pay their fair share and hard working Virginians can catch a break. We need an economy where people's wages don't stagnate for decades while their costs keep rising. Mike will fight for policies that give us the opportunity to get ahead and stay ahead.
Affordability
Housing Affordability
Too many central and southside Virginians can't afford to live in the places they call home. Ever since suffering at the hands of a predatory landlord in his first year of military service, Mike has been an advocate for fair and affordable housing practices. But currently, the federal government doesn't invest in affordability with rural communities in mind, meaning too often communities like ours get overlooked and neglected. Mike will champion investments and partnerships to make our towns and counties more affordable for everyone.
Standing Up to Special Interests
Artificial Intelligence
Congress has been asleep at the wheel protecting hard working Americans. Mike has stood up to corporate special interests in the courtroom, and he'll do it in Congress, from cracking down on predatory banks, lenders, and price-fixers to protecting our land and jobs from unchecked AI development.
Improving and Expanding Access to Healthcare
Health Insurance & Coverage
We deserve high quality, affordable healthcare. Mike will fight cuts to Medicare and Medicaid that impact our families, seniors, and veterans. He'll stand up to protect rural hospitals and expand rural healthcare. He'll always work to protect reproductive rights and ensure we have access to reproductive care.
