Elaine Luria

Elaine Goodman Luria (born August 15, 1975) is an American politician and Navy veteran. She was the U.S. representative from Virginia's 2nd congressional district from 2019 to 2023.

Elaine Luria
Elaine Luria, Official Portrait, 116th Congress.jpg
Vice Chair of the United States House Committee on Armed Services
In office
January 3, 2021 – January 3, 2023
Preceded byAnthony G. Brown
Succeeded byTBD
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 2nd district
In office
January 3, 2019 – January 3, 2023
Preceded byScott Taylor
Succeeded byJen Kiggans
Personal details
Born
Elaine Goodman Luria

(1975-08-15) August 15, 1975 (age 49)
Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)
Robert Blondin (m. 2005)
Children3
EducationUnited States Naval Academy (BS)
Old Dominion University (MS)
WebsiteHouse website
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service1997–2017
RankUS-O5 insignia.svg Commander
CommandsAssault Craft Unit TWO

She defeated Republican incumbent Scott Taylor in 2018. She defeated Taylor in a rematch to win a second term in 2020. In 2022, she lost her re-election bid to Jen Kiggans.

Early life, education, and military service

Luria was born on August 15, 1975, in Birmingham, Alabama.[1][2] Luria graduated from Indian Springs School in 1993.[3] She graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1997.

Luria served as a Navy officer for 20 years as an engineer, where she rose to the rank of commander.[4]

U.S. House of Representatives

Elections

2018

Luria ran for the United States House of Representatives in Virginia's 2nd congressional district.[5] In the June 10 Democratic primary, she got 62% of the vote, defeating Karen Mallard, who got 38%.[6]

In the general election, Luria defeated Republican incumbent Scott Taylor with 51% of the vote to Taylor's 49%.[7] She carried six of the district's nine county-level jurisdictions, including all but one of the district's five independent cities. She also carried Taylor's hometown of Virginia Beach.[8]

2020

Luria ran for reelection.[9] She defeated Taylor in a rematch with 51% of the vote. She was likely helped by Joe Biden winning the district in 2020;[10] Biden carried Virginia Beach, the first Democrat to do so since 1964.[11]

Electoral history

Virginia's 2nd congressional district Democratic primary results, 2018[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democrat Elaine Luria 17,552 62.3
Democrat Karen Mallard 10,610 37.7
Total votes 28,162 100.0
Virginia's 2nd congressional district general election results, 2018[13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democrat Elaine Luria 139,571 51.1
Republican Scott Taylor (incumbent) 133,458 48.8
style="background-color: Template:N/a/meta/color; width: 2px;" | [[n/a|Template:N/a/meta/shortname]] Write-ins 371 0.1
Total votes 273,400 100.0
Democrat gain from Republican
Virginia's 2nd congressional district general election results, 2020[14]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democrat Elaine Luria (incumbent) 185,733 51.6
Republican Scott Taylor 165,031 45.8
style="background-color: Template:Independent (United States)/meta/color; width: 2px;" | [[Independent (United States)|Template:Independent (United States)/meta/shortname]] David Foster 9,170 2.5
style="background-color: Template:N/a/meta/color; width: 2px;" | [[n/a|Template:N/a/meta/shortname]] Write-ins 343 0.1
Total votes 360,277 100.0
Democrat hold

References

  1. "Elaine Luria". Archives of Women's Political Communication. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
  2. "Another way to serve: After 20 years in Navy, Elaine Luria running for Congress". Southern Jewish Life. March 7, 2018. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  3. Schneider, Gregory S. (November 5, 2018). "Democrats Wexton, Luria and Spanberger unseat Republicans Comstock, Taylor and Brat, while Kaine cruises in Virginia". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 7, 2018. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  4. Brueck, Hilary; Kotecki, Peter (January 3, 2019). "The US just elected 9 new scientists to Congress, including an ocean expert, a nurse, and a biochemist. Here's the full list". Business Insider. Archived from the original on May 9, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  5. Bartel, Bill (January 8, 2018). "Mermaid Factory owner, retired Navy officer to take on Rep. Scott Taylor in election". The Virginian-Pilot. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  6. "In US House Race, Former Navy Commander Targets Former SEAL". WBOC-TV. May 24, 2018. Archived from the original on July 27, 2018. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  7. Brufke, Juliegrace (November 6, 2018). Dem Elaine Luria defeats GOP's Scott Taylor in Virginia. https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/415348-dem-elaine-luria-defeats-gops-scott-taylor-in-virginia. Retrieved December 13, 2018. 
  8. "Virginia House results from 2018". CNN. Archived from the original on November 9, 2018. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
  9. Bravender, Robin (January 27, 2018). Va. has 5 U.S. House rookies. Here's how they spent their first year.. https://www.virginiamercury.com/2020/01/27/va-has-5-u-s-house-rookies-heres-how-they-spent-their-first-year/. Retrieved April 13, 2018. 
  10. Virginia presidential results by congressional district Archived 2021-01-02 at the Wayback Machine from Virginia Department of Elections
  11. Oliver, Ned (November 5, 2020). "Chesterfield and Lynchburg hadn't backed a Democrat for president since 1948. Biden changed that.". The Virginia Mercury. https://www.virginiamercury.com/2020/11/05/chesterfield-county-hadnt-backed-a-democrat-for-president-since-1948-biden-changed-that/. Retrieved December 13, 2020. ""Virginia Beach, which Democrats last won in 1964 when Lyndon B. Johnson was on the ballot"". 
  12. "2018 June Democratic Primary". Virginia Department of Elections. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  13. "Official Results: 2018 November General Election". Virginia Department of Elections. November 9, 2018. Archived from the original on November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  14. "2020 November General Official Results". Virginia Department of Elections. Archived from the original on February 3, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2020.