Newcomers vie in GOP primary for House seat
Winner would take on longtime incumbent Scott in November
Terry Namkung and Ted Engquist are facing off to win the GOP ticket in the race to represent Virginia’s 3rd Congressional District in the U.S. House.
Neither candidate has held elected office. The winner will run against Rep. Bobby Scott, a Democrat, in November. The primary is slated for June 21, but early voting starts today.
Namkung, 44, is a retired Air Force veteran who served for 21 years. He works as a defense strategy consultant for the military. He owns a master’s degree in business administration from Auburn University and a doctorate in business from Temple University.
Engquist, 51, is a regional quality control engineer for the Virginia Department of Transportation. He is a licensed minister who leads the men’s ministry program at The Peninsula Pentecostals in Newport News.
Namkung said he decided to run in part because of his opposition to vaccine mandates for the military. The self-described Christian conservative said he is against any vaccination mandates that undermine religious freedom.
He also wanted to challenge Scott because he believes it’s time for a change. Scott has represented the district since 1993. If he wins the seat, Namkung said he wouldn’t serve longer than six years.
If elected, Namkung said advocating for veterans and tighter border security would be among his top priorities. He would also connect with local leaders and work on finding ways to reduce crime and poverty, which he said are too prevalent in the district.
Namkung believes his military service would be an asset when it comes to representing District 3 in Congress.
Engquist launched his campaign due to his desire to increase legislative transparency. He believes the names of bills are often misleading and leave most Americans unaware of how their tax dollars are being spent.
Another priority for Engquist would be lowering energy prices. To accomplish this goal, Engquist said he would support fracking in Pennsylvania, opening the Keystone XL oil pipeline and reopening coal mines in Virginia. Engquist is opposed to the Green New Deal climate proposal and wants the U.S. to withdraw from the Paris Accords, an international treaty on climate change.
Tightening border security is another one of his goals, he said.
Engquist believes his ministry experience would be beneficial in Congress because he has worked with people from various walks of life and could reach across the aisle.