GOP Chooses Candidate For Jan. 13 Special Election

FAIRFAX, VA — Adam Wise, a firearms instructor at Guns-n-Gear LLC, as well a self-employed Krav Maga self-defense instructor, is the Republican Party's candidate the Virginia House of Delegates race in the 11th District.

Wise will be on the Jan. 13 special election ballot, facing Democrat Gretchen M. Bulova, who won Tuesday's Democratic Firehouse Primary.

The 11th District seat became vacant when Bulova's husband, Del. David Bulova (D-11th), stepped down to become Governor-Elect Abigail Spanberger's nominee as Virginia's next secretary of natural and historic resources.

"Back in 2008 or so, I saw George W. Bush considering bailing out the banks and insurance companies and things like that," Wise said, in a video interview on his campaign website. "And I remembered back to my economics classes at George Mason that you're not supposed to do that. Of course, he did. Life went on, and then another guy came around and said that he wanted to give us universal health care. And I hoped America didn't vote for him, but America did, and so I realized that this country I love is in trouble."

Wise said that he doesn't consider himself a politician and is just a regular person running for office.

"Everything I've studied for the past 16 years has led me to believe that limited government really is the best government," he said. "There's a nice phrase. It isn't a perfect phrase, but it says that 'The government which governs least governs best.' Certainly, you've got different roles of government at different levels, and this is a state office that I'm pursuing here. But really, you want a free market. You want people to be able to pursue their own interests, and government is really meant to get out of the way, really. So my philosophy is that government is not the answer. Government is quite often the problem."

Government needs to have as few programs as possible, Wise said, and only have those things that are absolutely essential to running the state and running the district.

"Essentially, the less programs you have, the more money people can keep in their own pockets," he said. "That means that we don't have to be squeezed so much by the politicians trying to get our money in every turn. So less taxes, more freedom and prosperity."

When asked if he would cut regulations, Wise answered that he never met a regulation he liked.

"They slow progress down, and they cost money," he said. "So, all the money it takes to comply with all these different regulations, this is money that could be paid to increase wages and to innovate, to provide better goods and services to those you're serving, really get rid of all these regulations that stand in the way of this productivity."

Thanks to his father's career as a federal employee, Wise and his family traveled around the world, living Thailand, Honduras and The Philippines, according to the campaign website. After five years abroad, the family returned to Fairfax and Wise became a student at C.G. Woodson High School.

Also See ...

• Winner Named In 11th House District Firehouse Primary
• 11th District Democrats Host Primary In House Of Delegates Race
• Rachna Sizemore Heizer Wins All 29 Precincts In Braddock Supervisor's Race
• Sizemore Heizer Declares Victory In Braddock District Special Election

The Republican Party of Virginia originally planned to hold a special party canvass on Tuesday to determine who would be the GOP candidate in the special election. That event was cancelled after Wise was the only potential candidate to submit an application by the Monday, 6. p.m. deadline.

The deadline to request an absentee ballot to vote in the Jan. 13, 2026 special election is Friday, Jan. 2 and early voting begins on Jan. 3. The deadline to register for the special election is Jan. 7.

Visit the Virginia Department of Elections' Citizen Portal to check your registration status, request an absentee ballot or find your precinct.