Sen. Tim Kaine Faces MAGA Candidate Hung Cao ‘He Won’t Show Up for Virginians’
Ngan/AFP/Getty Images
This November, Virginians will decide between incumbent Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and the newly nominated Republican challenger, retired Navy captain Hung Cao. “Virginia Republicans have officially nominated Hung Cao to run against me,” Kaine tweeted. “He’s a MAGA extremist who looks out for himself first—not Virginians. He won’t show up for them.” The post included a red-colored graphic highlighting Cao’s controversial positions.
Kaine warns that Cao would be an “automatic vote for a national abortion ban” and accused him of comparing “women who get an abortion to Nazis.” Additionally, Kaine alleges that Cao aims to cut Social Security and Medicare, programs considered sacrosanct by many Americans.
Cao emerged as the Republican nominee from a field of candidates including Jonathan Emord, Eddie Garcia, Scott Parkinson, and Chuck Smith. His candidacy received a significant boost with an endorsement from former President Donald Trump.
After his primary victory, Cao set his sights on the general election, positioning himself as an outsider ready to challenge the political establishment. “Tomorrow, we begin our campaign to save the country that saved my life,” Cao stated. “I spent 25 years in the Navy, while Tim Kaine spent thirty years in elected office.”
Cao’s campaign, however, is not without controversy. In an interview with California-based pastor and Trump-aligned guitarist Sean Feucht, Cao expressed concern over the decline of Christianity, citing Wiccan communities in California as a cautionary example.
“There’s a place in Monterey, California called ‘Lover’s Point,'” Cao said. “The original name was ‘Lovers of Christ Point,’ but now it’s become — they took out the Christ, it’s ‘Lover’s Point,’ and it’s really — Monterey’s a very dark place now, a lot of witchcraft, and the Wiccan community has really taken over there.” He added, “We can’t let that happen in Virginia.”
Cao also faced criticism during his failed House bid in 2022 when he campaigned for votes in Woodbridge, Virginia—a town not in his district. Democrats seized on this misstep, using it to question his understanding of local issues.
As the election approaches, the battle lines are clearly drawn. Kaine, a seasoned politician with a record of public service, faces Cao, a military veteran with strong backing from the MAGA wing of the Republican Party. Voters will have to decide which vision for Virginia’s future aligns more closely with their values and needs.
