Former Pence Aide Seeks Congress Seat in Gerrymandered Virginia District

Olivia Troye, a Trump critic who served on Pence's COVID task force, appears to have filed to run as a Democrat in a newly redrawn district.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 5:35pm

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A dynamic, fragmented painting depicting the unusual shape of a redrawn congressional district, with overlapping geometric shapes and waves of blue, gray, and red hues conveying a sense of political tension and division.The unusual 'lobster-shaped' boundaries of the redrawn Virginia Seventh district have become a symbol of partisan gerrymandering.Washington Today

Olivia Troye, a former top aide to Vice President Mike Pence, has filed paperwork with the Federal Election Commission to run for Congress as a Democrat in Virginia's newly redrawn 7th district. The district has been widely criticized as a partisan gerrymander that combines wealthy D.C. suburbs with rural Republican areas to create a solidly Democratic seat.

Why it matters

Troye's potential candidacy is notable given her past as a Republican who served in the Trump administration before becoming a vocal critic of the former president. Her run in the gerrymandered district highlights ongoing debates over redistricting and the role of former GOP officials in the Democratic party.

The details

Troye, 49, previously worked as Pence's counterterrorism advisor and top staffer on his COVID-19 task force. She resigned from the Trump administration in 2020 and endorsed Joe Biden for president that year. Troye has also spoken at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in support of Kamala Harris' failed presidential bid.

  • Troye filed the FEC paperwork to launch her campaign committee, Olivia for Virginia, on Monday.
  • Virginia voters will decide on April 21 whether to approve the proposed Democratic gerrymander that would reshape the 7th district.

The players

Olivia Troye

A former top aide to Vice President Mike Pence who has become a prominent Trump critic, Troye appears to have filed paperwork to run as a Democrat in Virginia's redrawn 7th congressional district.

Eugene Vindman

The current Democratic representative for Virginia's 7th district, who says he will run for reelection in the 1st district if the proposed gerrymander is approved.

Abigail Spanberger

The former Democratic representative for Virginia's 7th district, who is now the state's governor.

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What they’re saying

“Being inside Trump's White House was terrifying, but what keeps me up at night is what will happen if he gets back there. The guardrails are gone. The few adults in the room the first time resigned or were fired.”

— Olivia Troye

“You aren't voting for a Democrat. You're voting for democracy. You aren't betraying our party, you're standing up for our country.”

— Olivia Troye

What’s next

Virginia voters will decide on April 21 whether to approve the proposed Democratic gerrymander that would reshape the 7th district, which could significantly impact Troye's potential path to Congress.

The takeaway

Troye's potential candidacy highlights the complex political dynamics at play, with a former Republican official seeking elected office as a Democrat in a district that has been criticized as a partisan gerrymander. This race could become a key battleground in the ongoing debates over redistricting and the role of anti-Trump Republicans in the Democratic party.