Ericka Kopp
Elections and appointments
Personal
Ericka Kopp (Democratic Party) is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Virginia's 1st Congressional District. She declared candidacy for the 2026 election.[source]
Kopp completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. Click here to read the survey answers.
Elections
2026
See also: Virginia's 1st Congressional District election, 2026
Note: At this time, Ballotpedia is combining all declared candidates for this election into one list under a general election heading. As primary election dates are published, this information will be updated to separate general election candidates from primary candidates as appropriate.
General election
The general election will occur on November 3, 2026.
Endorsements
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2026
Ballotpedia survey responses
See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection
Ericka Kopp completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey in 2025. The survey questions appear in bold and are followed by Kopp's responses. Candidates are asked three required questions for this survey, but they may answer additional optional questions as well.
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I’m a healthcare lawyer and a caregiver for a disabled combat veteran. I’m a first-generation American, college student, and the first lawyer ever in my family. I played hockey for 19 years and know how to drop the gloves. In Congress, I will fight for the rights of my community here in Virginia’s first district. It’s not about left or right; it’s about right and wrong. And what’s happening now is simply wrong. I will not stand for the continued degradation of our rights, institutions, and our nation. I am about people over partisan politics and defending democracy over accepting a fascist oligarchy. I have already taken an oath to defend the Constitution. I do this in practice already and will continue to do so at the congressional level for We the People.
- Access to healthcare. The US is the only developed nation without universal healthcare. If we undo the tax breaks for billionaires and appropriately tax both them and the corporations they own, we can make that happen.
- Veterans issues. Veterans put their lives on the line to serve this country. We need to reduce the senseless barriers to accessing veterans benefits. As a congressional established agency, Congress can, and must, act to address the critical staffing shortages at VA.
- Federally codifying rights. Never before has it been more important the fact that federal law acts as a floor when it comes to minimum rights. We can work together to protect people by enacting into law a woman’s right to make decisions about her own healthcare and same-sex marriage.
Healthcare, veterans, civil rights
As a biracial, Hispanic, and bi woman, I look up to strong leaders, typically leaders of color, from all of these communities. This includes Charlotte Ray, the first Black female lawyer in the US. It also includes Marsha P. Johnson, one of the most prominent activists for LGBTQ+ rights. Finally, I’m inspired by the many strong female leaders currently representing their districts in the House, like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jasmine Crockett, and Melanie Stansbury, to name a few.
Integrity, honesty, and simply being a good person.
Listening to the voices of the people, acting on the voices of the people, as opposed to special interests or the interests of donors.
I would like to leave a legacy of stepping up at a time my community wanted change and bringing about that change.
Easily, the first historical event I remember was 9/11. I was 9 years old at the time, in Miss Barbee’s fourth grade class at Longan Elementary School. My sister picked me up from school in the middle of the morning. I had no idea what was happening. We went home, and when we got there, I asked her what was going on. She said I needed to watch the television. I remember watching the news coverage of the planes hitting the towers and not comprehending exactly what I was seeing.
My very first job was as a grocery store bagger at Ukrop’s. I worked there for about two and a half years, from the middle of high school through to the start of college. That job taught me a lot about people, the importance of having empathy, and the value of hard work. I received internal promotions, first to cashier and later to floral associate, and stayed on through the company’s merger with Martin’s.
The US House has the ability to be a diverse representation of the people of the United States of America. With two-year terms, it’s the shortest of any federally-elected official and has the potential to change as the needs and will of the people change.
It may be helpful to have prior experience in government, but I do not believe it’s a requirement. What is more important to me is the quality of the character of the people elected to represent their districts. Representatives can learn what they need to about the job on the job, but they can’t learn how to be a good person on the job if they aren’t already.
The destruction to the economy, international relations, the climate, and American government as a whole. It will take time and effort to recover from the widespread effects this president has caused.
No, I don’t believe two years is the right term length. With how competitive House races can be, the constant need to campaign, dark money influence into elections, and how long it can take to see through priorities, I think a four-year term would be appropriate. I’m not running to be re-elected; I’m running to get things done for as long as the people will have me.
I don’t know that a term limit is the right solution. Nevertheless, I believe that there should be an upper age limit. The 119th Congress is the third oldest in history, it’s time for the elder generations to pass the baton. If young people are the future, we need more of us in Congress to lead us into our collective futures.
Jasmine Crockett. She’s intelligent, also a lawyer, and quick witted. She fiercely advocates for the people without fear of retribution. It seems to me like she has a strong moral compass and the people of her district are her true north.
The people in my district aren’t just afraid and sad, they’re mad. They’re distraught at the widespread harm this administration has inflicted upon them. The most impactful story was a woman who, because of federal budget cuts, her entire department at her job was eliminated. She worked in public health and, since she was laid off, she hadn’t been able to find a job in her field. She went into this field to help people, but because of the politicization of science and health, she couldn’t.
Another was from a longtime friend. He is married to an immigrant. His brother is disabled and receives Medicaid. He’s devastated because his brother could very well lose everything because of the “One Big Beautiful Bill.” There’s nothing beautiful about a billionaire benefiting from a bill that destroys the only means of life some people in this country. There’s nothing beautiful about the greatest upward transfer of wealth in American history.
These are the voices not being heard by our current representative. These are the people who supposedly have representation but matter less to our representative than billionaires. Compromise is necessary, unless and until that compromise is at the expense of rights of the people. I will not compromise when it comes to the rights of any member of my community.
One of my priorities is to work on legislation to ensure that the ultra wealthy and corporations pay their fair share. This would necessarily require the constitutional power of the House.
I believe strongly in accountability. Every federal official who has committed an impeachable offense must be held accountable. Because accountability begins with transparency, and due to the lack of transparency currently, the House would need to investigate federal officials for impeachable offenses.
If I have learned anything, it’s that entities intended to self-regulate simply don’t because no one is there to ensure compliance with the rules. We need baseline, nationwide, common-sense regulations regarding AI as well as the use of data centers for AI purposes.
I support strengthening the independence of the FEC. I would enact regulations that prevent any president from attempting to assert control over the sanctity of our elections.
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Campaign finance summary
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