(The Center Square) – Meteorologist Sean Sublette has launched a campaign for Congress in Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, joining a growing field of Democrats seeking to unseat longtime Republican incumbent Rob Wittman in the 2026 election.
Sublette is a longtime Virginia resident and first-time candidate. He has worked as a broadcast meteorologist and in climate communication, and now runs a weather and consulting business based in Chesterfield County.
In a statement to The Center Square, Sublette said, “I’ve decided to step forward and run for this seat because we need to stand up for working families who are getting ripped off, and I’m tired of waiting for someone else to fix a broken Washington.”
“We need leaders who will stand up to Donald Trump and his billionaire cronies and break the status quo of lies and conspiracies in Washington,” he continued. “As the son of a single mother, a small business owner, and a political outsider, I have lived and understand the struggles that hardworking Virginians are facing every day.”
Sublette joins a crowded Democratic primary field that includes Salaam Bhatti, Amanda Pohl, Lisa Vedernikov Khanna, Melvin Tull, Andrew Lucchetti, James Shea and Ericka Kopp. The Democratic and Republican primaries are expected to take place in mid-2026.
Wittman, who was first elected in 2007, has filed for reelection. The 1st District includes parts of Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover counties, along with the Northern Neck, Middle Peninsula and portions of the Tidewater region.
