Warner Seeks a Final Term as Mizusawa Makes His Case for Change

U.S. Sen. Mark Warner says he wants one final term to help undo the damage he believes President Donald Trump has caused. His Republican challenger, Bert Mizusawa, argues Virginia would be better served with a senator Trump will actually listen to.

The two candidates made their cases in two separate phone interviews with the Virginia Mercury on Monday, three weeks before the Nov. 3 election.

Warner, a three-term Democrat, is seeking a fourth term against a retired U.S. Army major general who has extensive national security experience but little money to compete with the incumbent.

Warner won 56% of the vote against Republican Daniel Gade in 2020, six years after narrowly defeating Ed Gillespie. No Republican has won a U.S. Senate election in Virginia since John Warner in 2002.

Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (left) faces Republican challenger Bert Mizusawa in his bid for a fourth Senate term. (Photos courtesy of campaigns)

The Democrat holds a commanding fundraising advantage. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, Warner has raised more than $25.1 million through July 15, the most recent reporting period, and had $16.1 million remaining. Mizusawa had raised just over $376,000, with about $53,000 on hand.

“Republicans have not made this race a priority,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Mary Washington.

Warner’s reputation as a centrist works in his favor, Farnsworth said, but Trump’s unpopularity and voters’ frustration over high prices would likely benefit almost every Democrat.

Warner focuses on healthcare and AI

An Alexandria resident and former technology entrepreneur, Warner served as Virginia’s governor from 2002 to 2006. He was elected to the Senate in 2008 and now serves as vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee.

During his unsuccessful first Senate campaign in 1996, Warner pledged to serve only two terms if elected.

Asked why he is now seeking a fourth, he pointed to the Trump administration, the challenges posed by artificial intelligence and his growing conviction that the country needs universal healthcare coverage.

Warner also said that his experience and relationships with Republicans would help restore bipartisan negotiations. He cited his work on infrastructure legislation, broadband expansion, semiconductor manufacturing, and funding for a second passenger rail bridge across the Potomac River.

“I know what I said in 1996, and that was kind of my intent then, but I believe very much that I’m a much better senator today than I was on day one,” Warner said in the interview.

On the economy, Warner said ending the war with Iran and reversing Trump’s tariffs would offer the quickest relief from high prices. “I think the president needs to declare victory and get out,” he said.

Healthcare is another priority of the Democrats’ reelection bid. A bill Warner introduced last month would establish a public insurance option, restore enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies and reverse healthcare provisions of the 2025 Republican tax-and-spending plan.

“On the public option piece, that is a place to start the debate,” Warner said. “I think we need to move to universal coverage so there is a requirement for coverage.”

Warner also acknowledged that policymakers underestimate the consequences of rapid data center development.

He wants federal standards addressing energy and water consumption, setbacks from residential neighborhoods, and public disclosure requirements. Companies would have to comply with those standards to qualify for certain tax benefits.

As AI changes the workforce, Warner said technology companies should help pay for programs that prepare displaced workers for other careers.

“I’ve never seen a technology that could be more transformative and less popular,” he said.

Warner acknowledged that he wished he had done more to prevent federal workforce cuts carried out through Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency last year. However, he cautioned against simply restoring the previous staffing levels.

Relations between Republicans and Democrats have deteriorated under Trump, Warner said, with many of his GOP colleagues reluctant to challenge the president publicly.

“I’m making the bet that after the midterms there’s going to be a much greater willingness to come to the table and get things done,” he said.

On election security, Warner expressed confidence in Virginia’s bipartisan election administration. But he also warned that Trump or his allies could attempt to justify interference by relying on flawed intelligence.

“I’m asking people to rehire me, and I think I’ve got a strong record of results,” he said.

Mizusawa argues military experience gives him an advantage

Mizusawa, a West Point graduate who earned law and public policy degrees from Harvard, served on the Senate Armed Services Committee staff and as a deputy undersecretary of the Army. He advised Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and later served as a CIA adviser.

He argues those connections would give him influence with Trump that Warner lacks, particularly on the war with Iran.

“If there’s anybody he’ll listen to, it would be me, especially compared to my opponent,” Mizusawa said.

He defended Trump’s decision to attack Iran, saying the president has access to classified information unavailable to the public.

Mizusawa would not rule out deploying American ground troops and declined to make a firm commitment to require congressional authorization before providing further funding for the conflict.

“I basically will tell you that I would disagree with (Trump) in private before I would disagree with him in public,” he said. “I would want to give him the benefit of my input.”

To address rising energy costs, Mizusawa called for more domestic oil, natural gas and nuclear production, including small modular reactors. Renewable energy should also be part of the mix, he said.

Data center developers should pay the full cost of the infrastructure their projects require, he said, rather than shifting those expenses to other utility customers.

Mizusawa also proposed eliminating the capital gains tax on sales of primary residences. He argued that encouraging more homeowners to sell would increase housing supply and help bring down home prices and rents.

On healthcare, he called for tying federal Medicaid funding to states’ ability to account for how the money is spent. States that demonstrate responsible spending should be rewarded, and those that cannot adequately audit their expenditures should receive less funding.

“It’s not just illegal aliens, but it’s people that are stealing from our government, from our U.S. taxpayers,” Mizusawa said.

He also promoted telemedicine and artificial intelligence as ways to improve access to healthcare in rural communities.

On election security, Mizusawa supports requiring photo identification to vote. He acknowledged that he did not know whether voter fraud was widespread enough to change election outcomes.

When asked whether he would concede if certified results showed Warner had won and any recounts or court challenges had concluded without changing the outcome, he answered: “Yes.”

Mizusawa defended tariffs against countries he considered unfair trading partners but opposed imposing blanket tariffs on every nation.

Virginia’s extensive military presence makes his experience particularly relevant, Mizusawa argued. He said the state would benefit from having both a veteran and a Republican in the Senate.

Neither Warner nor Virginia’s other Democratic senator, Tim Kaine, is a veteran.

“I think it’s time we get a new senator in there who can work with both parties, Republicans and Democrats, with my proven record,” he said.

By Markus Schmidt, Virginia Mercury

Virginia Mercury is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Virginia Mercury maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Samantha Willis with questions: info@virginiamercury.com.