Rep. Rob Wittman is a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives in Virginia’s first district. His name will appear on the ballot on November 5, 2024.
Rep. Rob Wittman, the Republican incumbent, has held the seat since 2007. He is being challenged by Democratic candidate Leslie Mehta.
The first day of in-person early voting at your local registrar’s office for this election is Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Click here to see who is on your ballot.
10 On Your Side reached out to all of the candidates running in this race, with a request for a bio and a list of questions to answer. If you do not see the candidate listed with a profile, we did not receive one.
Name: Rob Wittman
Age: 65 years
Race: U.S. House of Representatives, Virginia, 1st District
Party: Republican
Website: https://robwittman.com/
Biography: Since Rob was first elected to serve the First Congressional District of Virginia, his top priority has always been the constituents of the First District. You can find Rob driving back and forth from his home in Montross to DC when Congress is in session and traveling throughout the district to meet and listen to you, his neighbors, on how best to serve you. Rob’s wife, Kathryn, who worked for 41 years as a teacher at Cople Elementary School in Hague, is a Westmoreland County native whom he met when he spent high school and college summer recesses working in a Leedstown tomato cannery and on a Reedville fishing boat in the Northern Neck. Rob grew up in Henrico County, where his mother taught middle school and high school. Since 1985, Rob and Kathryn have lived in the same home in Montross where they raised their two children: a daughter, Devon, and a son, Josh. Rob and Kathryn are proud grandparents to six wonderful grandchildren. Rob is an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoys spending time on the water.
Why are you running for this office?
As a father of two and grandfather to six young children, I have a personal investment in the future of our country. I was raised in Henrico County and have lived in Montross since 1985 in the first house I ever purchased with my wife, Kathryn, of 42 years. We raised our children in Virginia’s First District and now enjoy spending time with our grandchildren here. I’m running to make our nation safer, more secure, and stronger for them – the next generation – and so all Virginians can achieve the American dream.
What are your thoughts on the direction of the country?
I am deeply concerned about the direction of our country. President Biden and Vice President Harris’ policies have weakened U.S. national security and emboldened our adversaries. As President Biden’s “border czar,” Vice President Harris has overseen the worst border crisis in American History. Because of the Biden-Harris administration’s open border policies and refusal to enforce existing U.S. immigration law, illegal border crossings are at an all-time high, fentanyl deaths are rising across the nation, and crime has skyrocketed. The Biden-Harris administration’s weak economic policies have made it harder to put food on the table, pay our utility bills, and fill up our gas tanks. The American people and Virginians families cannot afford another four years of these failed policies.
Are you backing a presidential candidate and if so why are they fit to run for office?
President Trump has my support this November due to his strong policies that will once again secure our border, ensure the rule of law is enforced, and reinvigorate our economy. Under President Trump’s leadership, our economy witnessed unprecedented growth, marked by record-low unemployment rates and substantial job creation. His administration’s commitment to reducing burdensome regulations empowered businesses, fostering economic prosperity that reached all Americans.
President Trump secured our borders and ensured our laws were enforced. He prioritized a strong and well-equipped military and his dedication to putting America first resulted in historic peace agreements and diplomatic breakthroughs in regions that were previously fraught with tension. President Trump’s policies demonstrated a commitment to keeping America safe and respected on the global stage.
What are your top 2 or 3 priorities if you’re elected/reelected?
My top priorities include lowering the cost of living, keeping our communities safe, and setting our children up to succeed in school and in the workforce. I’ll continue to support legislation like the Lower Energy Costs Act and REIN IN Inflation Act to make life more affordable for everyone. To keep our communities safe, I will continue to vote for funding bills that equip our law enforcement officers, first responders, and Border Patrol agents with the resources they need to protect us. To boost opportunities for future generations, I’ll continue to push my bipartisan Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act to permit the use of 529 account funds for post-secondary training and certification programs.
How should Congress address the issue of immigration?
Our nation has existing immigration laws – already passed by Congress – that the Biden-Harris
administration has refused to enforce. Instead, President Biden and Vice President Harris implemented dangerous policies that have further exacerbated this crisis, including halting deportations, promising amnesty to all illegal immigrants residing in the country, stopping construction of the physical barrier at the U.S.-Mexico border, and ending the previous administration’s successful “Remain in Mexico” policy.
We must take a comprehensive approach to securing our border, including a physical barrier, utilizing advanced surveillance technology, increasing the number of well-trained Border Patrol agents to adequately cover and monitor the border, and providing ongoing training, resources, and equipment to law enforcement agencies involved in border security.
We are a nation of laws, and those wishing to enter our country need to come here legally. I am focused on ensuring that our nation’s current immigration laws are enforced and that our immigration programs work properly.
How should Congress address climate change?
As a senior member of the House Natural Resources Committee, I know how important it is that we protect our environment so it can be enjoyed for generations to come. I’m a scientist by profession – I received my degree in biology from Virginia Tech where I worked with arctic ice cores, studying climate data. As co-chair of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Task Force, I have led the effort to maintain the Chesapeake Bay Program and advocated for funding when cuts were suggested.
I care deeply about addressing the effects of climate change but want to do it in a responsible way that doesn’t hurt the economy, American workers, or national security. I support solutions that promote innovation and invest in clean energy infrastructure to reduce emissions.
We can protect our environment by promoting policies encouraging an all-of-the-above approach to energy that includes nuclear, hydropower, natural gas, wind, and solar. These sources of energy are readily available within America, which ensures our energy independence and allows us to rely on our own citizens to power our country.
How should the U.S. approach foreign policy when it comes to Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war, China and Taiwan relations, etc.?
Putting America first means supporting American interests at home and abroad. It is in our national interest to support our only democratic ally in the Middle East in the face of terror attacks. I will continue to support sending aid to Israel to support the nation’s self-defense.
It is in our interest to prevent China from taking Taiwan by force. If the Chinese take Taiwan, then they deal a massive blow to American credibility. Regional players will have no choice but to accept that China is the dominant economic and military force in their decision-making. The United States would become a continental power – we would no longer be the world’s superpower. Allowing the Chinese Communist Party to gain territory would also be a massive blow to the global economy and cybersecurity efforts.
In addition, Vladimir Putin poses an immediate threat, not just to Ukraine, but to Europe and our own national security. We can stand up to Putin while implementing oversight and accountability measures for any additional aid to Ukraine, as outlined in my Independent and Objective Oversight of Ukrainian Assistance Act. Every U.S. dollar sent to Ukraine should be accounted for – this is in the best interest of Ukraine and American taxpayers.
Our adversaries would prefer we retreat from the world stage, but it is in America’s interest to protect freedom across the globe.
What are you hearing most from voters in your district?
There’s no question that the exorbitant cost of living is the most pressing issue for folks in the First District and American families right now. The Biden-Harris administration’s economic policies have made it increasingly difficult to provide for our families, put food on the table, and fill our gas tanks.
I have consistently warned against the dangers of out-of-control spending and the real harm it causes not only to our economy, but to the everyday lives of Americans. We need to rein in Washington’s excessive spending problem and advance an economic agenda that will allow families and businesses to thrive.
What’s an under the radar issue that’s maybe not getting enough attention?
More and more Americans are finally waking up to the serious threat China poses to our nation. The Chinese Communist Party is trying to outpace America economically, militarily, and strategically.
One of their tactics includes harming Americans by supplying fentanyl precursors, which are fueling the opioid crisis that is killing far too many Americans. The Chinese Communist Party has subsidized the manufacturing and export of materials used to make fentanyl and other synthetic drugs – they are enabling Chinese producers and exporters through loopholes to smuggle drugs into our country. Through its actions, the Chinese Communist Party is telling us that it wants more fentanyl entering America. It wants the chaos and devastation that has resulted from the opioid epidemic.
We must stand up to China and use every tool in our toolbox to identify and disrupt fentanyl supply chains. The closer to the source we can get, the more American lives we can save.