Northampton resident launches bid for 2nd District Congressional Seat

Matt Strickler, a lifelong Virginian and current Northampton County resident, has officially launched his campaign to win the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Matt Strickler, 44, announced his bid on November 6, 2025, positioning himself as a candidate rooted in public service, environmental stewardship, and Eastern Shore community values. Strickler lives in Northampton County with his wife, Laura, in the same Eastern Shore farmhouse where his grandparents helped raise him.

A product of Virginia’s public schools, Strickler has spent his career in government service, including roles at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Natural Resources Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, and as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the U.S. Department of the Interior. He also served as a legislative aide to then-Senator Ralph Northam.

From 2018 to 2021, Strickler served in the Northam administration as Virginia’s Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources and the Commonwealth’s Chief Resilience Officer. In that role, he oversaw five state agencies employing more than 2,200 people and managing a budget of roughly $500 million. His tenure included leading what the administration described as the strongest Chesapeake Bay cleanup effort in state history, developing Virginia’s first coastal resilience master plan, and working with the General Assembly to support flood mitigation projects in communities across the Commonwealth.

Strickler also took on environmental and conservation issues, focusing on reducing air and water pollution, promoting affordable clean energy, and protecting marine resources such as oysters, striped bass, and Atlantic menhaden—issues with direct relevance to coastal and Eastern Shore communities.

“The people I know are fed up with Congress not doing its job, and so am I,” Strickler said in announcing his campaign. He said voters deserve an “experienced, independent voice” willing to challenge what he described as destructive tariffs, cuts to public services, and misuse of federal power, while also advancing policies aimed at making housing, health care, and groceries more affordable.

Strickler is a graduate of College of William and Mary and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science. His campaign website is mattstricklerva.com.

Strickler will face former Congresswoman Elaine Luria, who served two terms in thee district before losing to current Congresswoman Jen Kiggnans.