Fired Federal Worker Enters 8th Congressional District Race

ALEXANDRIA, VA — Michael Duffin, a fired federal worker from Alexandria, announced a campaign Wednesday for the Democratic nomination in Virginia’s 8th Congressional District.

Duffin will be a candidate in the 2026 Democratic primary along with former Alexandria City Councilmember Mo Seifeldein and Frank Ferreira. Heerak Christian Kim and Tony Sabio have announced campaigns for the Republican nomination.

Duffin is a national security expert who worked for 12 years at the U.S. Department of State. According to his campaign website, he was among 1,300 foreign policy employees at the State Department fired by the Trump administration on July 11 amid its federal workforce reduction efforts.

"Like many federal workers and contractors in Northern Virginia and across the country, my family is experiencing economic anxiety from these unprecedented and illegal cuts to the federal workforce," said Duffin in a statement. "As the father of two young boys, I am deeply concerned about the world they will grow up in. We need leaders who can effectively counter MAGA’s xenophobic and antidemocratic agenda."

Originally from the South Side of Chicago, Duffin previously worked as a teacher and journalist. Duffin's campaign agenda includes fighting for federal workers, restoring U.S. Aid, fully funding and staffing all federal agencies, help for middle class residents to pay and forgive student loans, creating a tax-free savings program for first-time homebuyers, increasing tax credits for daycare and dependent care, and allow pre-tax contributions by parents for their children’s college plans.

Virginia's 8th Congressional District, which includes Arlington County, the cities of Alexandria and Falls Church and part of Fairfax County, is considered strong Democratic by the Virginia Public Access Project. The current incumbent, Rep. Don Beyer, is seeking a seventh term in Congress. Beyer served as Virginia's lieutenant governor from 1990 to 1998 and as ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein appointed by former President Barack Obama in 2009.

Duffin commended Beyer's service to the district and called him an "honorable man."

"That said, our party and district need someone who truly understands the economic pain the people of Northern Virginia are feeling and will work in lockstep with unions to fight for the rights of federal workers and others," said Duffin. "And, Don Beyer has become a part of the establishment of the Democratic Party that is not doing enough to stand up to Donald Trump and his MAGA cronies that are dismantling the greatest democracy in history."

For more information, visit www.duffin4va.com.