Henrico businessman launches Democratic campaign to unseat Rep. Wittman

Henrico attorney and businessman Melvin Tull announced his campaign to challenge U.S. Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA-01) on Wednesday, becoming the fourth Democrat seeking to flip the district.

Tull, who owns a small law firm in Richmond, is a longtime resident of Henrico. An army veteran who has had a long career in business and law, Tull said he decided to make his first step into politics after being frustrated by the Trump administration’s recent policies and the “lack of good governance” at the federal level.

“It’s time for somebody that’s not a career politician, that’s got some experience and business and just sort of a common sense approach, to get involved,” he said. “What’s most important for businesses and most important for families is stability, and the chaos that we’re getting is not good.”

The First Congressional District, which covers Virginia’s Northern Neck and and the western parts of Henrico and Chesterfield counties, is one of 33 Congressional districts across the country that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is seeking to flip in 2026.

Tull said his legislative priorities are to lower everyday costs such as prescription drugs, childcare, and housing in the district, while also protecting federal programs such as Medicaid, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), Medicare, and Social Security. 

He said that changes from the Trump administration, including the closure of multiple Social Security offices, have negatively impacted retirees such as his mother – who raised Tull as a single parent while working a full-time job and worked to save money for retirement.

“She thought she should have a pretty comfortable retirement, not super wealthy, but comfortable and stress-free. All of that changed six months ago with the new administration, when they started making it more difficult for retirees to get their Social Security benefits,” Tull said. “Folks have worked their entire career and paid into it, it just doesn’t make sense in the name of government efficiency to close Social Security offices.”

Tull, whose children attended Henrico Schools, said he also wants to prioritize investing in public education in the district, including public funding to support graduates wanting to attend trade schools. 

“I went to public schools. I’m a graduate of Virginia Tech and UVA, back when they were much more affordable, and I really believe that upward mobility begins with affordable quality education,” he said. “We’ve been extremely fortunate in Henrico County that we have some of the best public schools, and I want to make sure that that is true for the rest of the district.”

Tull said he has also become frustrated by Wittman’s legislative actions, particularly Wittman’s vote in favor of Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill,” which Tull said will hurt rural hospitals as well as Medicaid beneficiaries in the district.

“That fact that Wittman has been in office for almost 20 years and yet he really doesn’t have any major signature legislative achievements,” Tull said. “He’s written letters saying he supports Medicaid and won’t make cuts to Medicaid, and yet he turns around and votes the party line. I would just like to see him stand up, tell us what he believes, and then stand up for what he believes.”

Over the past few months, hundreds of constituents have come together to hold protests against Wittman and his support for Trump administration policies, including the “Big, Beautiful Bill.” Tull said that he believes people in Henrico and the rest of the district are “fed up” and ready for a change.

“It really feels like there is a lot of emotion and support and frustration among folks living here in Henrico,” he said. “I have had a lot of conversations with people from all walks of life, including business people who are frustrated with the uncertainty that they’re seeing.”

Wittman has served as the First Congressional District’s representative since 2007. Despite nearly two decades of support for Wittman in the district, Tull believes that constituents are ready for someone new, and someone who is not “a career politician.” He said he hopes his campaign will appeal to both Democrats and Republicans who want more stability at the federal level.

“I know a lot of business people who are independents and maybe moderate Republicans, and I've had a lot of conversations with them, and they're frustrated,” he said. “They may believe in some of the policy objectives of what's going on, but they firmly disagree with the way it's being carried out, and just the chaos and the haphazard nature with which a lot of those policies are being implemented.”

Liana Hardy is the Citizen’s government and education reporter. Support her work and articles like this one by making a contribution to the Citizen.