The special election to fill the house seat of the late Representative Donald Mceachin took place for Virginia’s fourth Congressional district on Feb. 21, 2023; Democrat Jennifer Mclellan won with 74.3% of citizens’ votes. 

Mceachin passed away after a long battle with colon cancer on Nov. 28, 2022, twenty days after he was reelected. Mceachin’s chief of staff, Tara Rountree, served in his place until this election occurred. 

This special election was Leon Benjamin’s (Republican) third time running for Congress. He most recently lost the Nov. 8 election against the late Donald Mceachin. Benjamin’s campaign centers around becoming reunited as a country and not allowing politics to divide the nation. 

Jennifer Mclellan (Democrat) previously served in the House of Delegates from 2005-2016 and continued on to fill Mceachin’s state senate seat when he was first elected to Congress in 2017. Her campaign focuses on fighting racial inequality, and by winning this election she became the first black female to serve Virginia in Congress.