Matt Strickler
Matt Strickler
VA-02 Democratic nominee?
$2.3K
AUG 5, 2026Primary Election
Party selects its nominee.
Overview
Current rolePublic policy professional
PartyDemocratic
Political ideologyMainstream Democrat
GenderMale
LocationVirginia
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BackgroundPublic policy professional
EducationWashington and Lee University (BA)
Notable personal detailsMatt Strickler is an American politician and public-policy professional. He served as Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources in Governor Ralph Northam’s cabinet from 2018 to 2021 and has worked on natural-resources policy in federal government, including with the U.S. House Committee on Natural Resources. He is a Democratic candidate for the U.S. House in Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District (VA-02) for the 2026 cycle.
SourcesShowHide
Positions
Economy & Taxes
Matt Strickler emphasizes reducing costs for families (energy, health care, housing), resisting cuts to public services, and opposing destructive tariffs, but his campaign materials do not include a clear, specific tax policy (e.g., support for tax increases on high earners or for broad tax cuts).
Healthcare
Matt Strickler’s campaign emphasizes lowering health care costs and opposes cuts to health care and related public assistance, but does not set out detailed policy proposals (for example, support for Medicare for All or a public option) on the campaign site or initial news coverage.
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Climate & Energy
Supports efforts to fight climate change, promote clean energy and coastal resilience, and has led state initiatives to reduce air and water pollution and advance Chesapeake Bay restoration. Emphasizes clean energy investment and community resilience while also pursuing sustainable aquaculture and natural-resource conservation. Positions reflect service as Virginia Secretary of Natural Resources and related policy work on climate and coastal planning.
News
Matt Strickler is in the news because Kalshi suspended and fined him after saying he traded on markets tied to his own congressional campaign. The company said the move followed new safeguards against candidates trading on their own elections. Other recent coverage is broader election context, including redistricting changes and gas prices that could affect House races, but those reports do not describe a specific new action by Strickler.
Fundraising
Latest report: Cycle 20262026
LatestCycle 2026
Source: FEC
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We're monitoring and will update when new data impacts the race.
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