(The Center Square) – A Republican candidate is campaigning for Virginia’s proposed 7th Congressional District as the state’s redistricting process remains tied up in court and certification of the April 21 vote is still unresolved.
Douglas Ollivant, a Culpeper County resident and retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, is running for Congress under a proposed map that would reshape parts of Northern Virginia and surrounding regions.
Ollivant told The Center Square he has been running in Virginia’s 7th District since September, before the redistricting amendment was introduced.
“I’ve been running in VA-07 since September of last year, so I was in the race long before anyone had brought up the idea of a redistricting amendment,” he said.
“I’m running here, period,” he added. “I’m doing this to represent my neighbors and will not be ‘shopping’ for the most advantageous district in which to run.”
The proposed district stems from a redistricting amendment voters approved April 21 by about a three-point margin. Election officials told The Center Square that certification of the results depends on a pending ruling from the Virginia Supreme Court.
Under state law, the State Board of Elections is required to certify results within 14 days of a special election, setting a May 5 deadline for the April 21 vote.
However, a court injunction currently blocks certification.
A State Board of Elections meeting scheduled for May 1 includes certification of the redistricting referendum as an agenda item. The document states the item is contingent on a final decision by the Virginia Supreme Court and may be removed.
The Department of Elections said whether certification occurs on that date or later depends on when the court issues a final ruling and what that ruling states.
The uncertainty comes as candidates begin positioning themselves for potential new districts that have not yet been finalized.
Ollivant has begun campaigning and securing endorsements from local Republican officials. His campaign has emphasized issues including economic policy, national security and government accountability.
The proposed 7th District would include a mix of suburban and rural communities, making it a potentially competitive seat depending on final boundaries.
Candidates from both parties have begun positioning themselves as the map remains unresolved.
