Sen. Mark R. Warner is running for reelection to his Virginia U.S. Senate seat in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. The Democrat faces Republican Bert Mizusawa.

Warner has represented Virginia in the Senate since January 2009, according to his Senate office. He is certified for the ballot, according to BallotReady election data.

This profile uses publicly available information reviewed by Vienna Ledger producers. The profile will be updated if the candidate provides responses.

Candidate information

  • Full name: Mark R. Warner
  • Party: Democratic
  • Office sought: U.S. Senate, Virginia
  • Election date: Nov. 3, 2026
  • Opponent: Bert Mizusawa, Republican
  • Born: Dec. 15, 1954, in Indianapolis, Indiana
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in political science, George Washington University, 1977; juris doctor, Harvard University, 1980
  • Notable: First in his family to graduate from college, according to the National Governors Association

Experience and public service

Warner built a career in the private sector before entering politics. He co-founded Capital Cellular Corporation in 1989, which became Nextel, according to Wikipedia. He also founded and served as managing director of Columbia Capital, according to the National Governors Association.

Warner entered Virginia politics as chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, serving from 1993 to 1995, according to Wikipedia. He then won the governorship, serving as governor of Virginia from 2002 to 2006. During that time, he chaired the National Governors Association from 2004 to 2005.

Warner moved to the federal level when he took office as a U.S. senator in January 2009. He serves as vice chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, according to his Senate biography. He also sits on the Senate Finance, Banking, Budget and Rules Committees, which handle tax policy, financial regulation, federal spending and chamber procedures.

The Vienna Ledger will update this section if Warner's campaign provides responses.

Endorsements

The following endorsement has been claimed by the endorser, according to BallotReady:

  • AFL-CIO

About this race

The U.S. Senate seat Warner holds is one of Virginia's two seats in the chamber. Under the U.S. Constitution, senators serve six-year terms. They vote on federal legislation, confirm presidential appointments and ratify treaties. The seat is on the ballot statewide, meaning all Virginia voters will see this race on Nov. 3, 2026.