Gay Navy Vet James Osyf Aims To Unseat Culture‑War Incumbent In Virginia’s Coastal Seat
When Commander James Osyf filed to contest Virginia’s Second Congressional District, he did more than launch another campaign. He put his 18‑year Navy résumé and national‑security career on a collision course with Republican incumbent Jen Kiggans, whose recent focus on “divisive concepts” bills and bans on trans girls in school sports has kept headlines crackling. The district, anchored by Virginia Beach and the Navy‑heavy cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk, will vote in November 2026 in what ratings forecasters already list as one of the country’s tight contests.
Why Osyf says the stakes are higher than party lines.
Speaking to The Advocate, the 40‑year‑old reservist recalled watching “division take root” after the 2025 White House order that once again barred transgender Americans from uniformed service. “It makes us less secure,” he warned, pointing to thousands now facing discharge. For Osyf, who served under “don’t ask, don’t tell,” the new ban hit close to home: “Any individual willing to raise a hand for this country should be welcomed.”
Kiggans doubles down on culture fights.
Kiggans, herself a former Navy pilot, has leaned hard into social issues. One February post told the Virginia High School League it was “UNACCEPTABLE” to let trans athletes compete, claiming 80 percent of Americans backed her stance. Critics say the messaging sidelines bread‑and‑butter concerns like jobs, health care, and defence spending that typically decide votes in Hampton Roads.
Virginia’s girls deserve better than this.
— Congresswoman Jen Kiggans (@RepJenKiggans) February 6, 2025
Despite yesterday’s Executive Order, @VHSL_ is continuing to allow transgender athletes to compete in high school girls’ sports.
They are deliberately choosing to ignore that 80% of Americans agree on this issue.
This is… pic.twitter.com/Lmpm8o3uXZ
Residency questions swirl, but strategy stays local.
Opponents recently highlighted property records showing Osyf owns a home in Washington, D.C., three hours from the district. His team insists he rents near Virginia Beach, where weekend drills keep him on base, and calls the flap “a distraction”. The campaign’s first ad spotlights that Navy link, showing Osyf saluting beside the Atlantic Fleet and asking viewers, “Who do you trust to have your six?”
What could tip the race?
First, turnout among the district’s sizeable military families, many uneasy about the re‑implemented bans. Second, pocket‑book issues: Kiggans voted for a Trump‑backed budget that pares back Medicaid while offering new tax breaks. Third, moderates tired of Washington theatre may warm to a commander promising fewer sound bites and more ship‑shape governance.
My name is James Osyf. I’m a Navy veteran.
— James Osyf (@JamesOsyf) July 10, 2025
I've lived the Silent Service, but this moment demands something different.
Today, I’m announcing my campaign to flip VA-02 – because we can no longer afford to be silent. pic.twitter.com/0IlZGcHCoO
Will voters swap one Navy veteran for another next November? The answer may hinge on how coastal Virginians weigh cultural flashpoints against everyday economics and whether Osyf can translate service stripes into ballot‑box trust.
