Retired Army Major General Bert Mizusawa is competing in Virginia’s Republican primary on August 4, 2026, seeking the GOP nomination to challenge three-term Democratic incumbent Mark Warner for a U.S. Senate seat. Mizusawa, who served 41 years in the military before retiring in 2015, faces two other Republican candidates: businesswoman Kim Farington and businessman David Williams.
Mizusawa has built his campaign around his national security background and decades of military and federal service. According to his biographical materials, he graduated first in his class from West Point out of more than 1,400 cadets and later commanded a Combined Joint Interagency Task Force in Afghanistan. He has received endorsements from prominent Virginia Republicans, including Rep. Ben Cline and State Senator Bryce Reeves.
The winner of the Republican primary will advance to face Warner in November, though political analysts say the eventual GOP nominee enters the general election at a significant disadvantage. Warner, who is seeking his fourth six-year term, has raised nearly $22 million for his reelection bid and reported more than $14 million in cash on hand as of recent reports. In contrast, Mizusawa has raised approximately $192,000 and reported more than $55,000 in cash on hand.
The fundraising gap reflects a broader challenge for Virginia Republicans. The last Republican elected to the U.S. Senate from Virginia was John Warner—no relation to the incumbent—who won his fifth term in 2002. Since then, Democrats have swept every Senate contest in the commonwealth. Warner won his 2020 reelection by more than 12 percentage points, and Democratic Senator Tim Kaine won his 2024 race by roughly 10 points, both with former President Donald Trump on the ballot.
According to David Richards, a political science professor at the University of Lynchburg, the Republican primary is narrowing to a two-candidate race. “I predict either Farington or Mizusawa winning the nomination, both are polling about even if you look at the margin of error,” Richards said in analysis published by Virginia Mercury in July. He noted that Farington, who emphasizes the economy and affordability, and Mizusawa, who leans on national security and government spending, represent the leading contenders, while Williams, with the smallest fundraising haul, trails behind.
Warner has built a reputation as a pragmatic Democrat willing to work across the aisle on issues ranging from national security and technology to infrastructure. He has maintained a high profile in Virginia by highlighting federal investments in transportation, broadband expansion, military communities and manufacturing. Richards assessed the political landscape as favoring the incumbent, noting that Warner appears well-positioned heading into the general election despite ongoing voter concerns about the economy.
The August 4 primary is part of a broader election day in Virginia that includes races for the U.S. House and other offices. The winner of the Republican Senate primary will face Warner in the November general election.
Sources
- Virginia Mercury — GOP Senate hopefuls’ campaign platforms, candidate backgrounds, fundraising totals, and analyst commentary on the primary race
- Ballotpedia — candidate eligibility, primary date, and three-candidate field confirmation
- Republican Party of Virginia — candidate qualification for the ballot
- Prediction Edge — endorsement information from Ben Cline and Bryce Reeves
