The United States Senate is made up of 100 members, two from each state. U.S. Senators serve staggered, six-year terms. The powers of the Senate are outlined in the Constitution. You can learn more about those powers here. 

In Virginia, three candidates are running in the Republican primary. The winner will run against incumbent Mark Warner (D) and Mark Moran (I) in November. 

Charlottesville Tomorrow designed a questionnaire for the candidates based on responses we received from our voter survey. They provided answers below, listed in the order they were received.

Data centers: Central Virginia voters who responded to our voter survey raised concerns about the boom of data centers in the state, including their impact on electric bills, water use and new energy infrastructure. Others pointed to their possible benefits, namely jobs, tax revenue and economic growth. What do you believe Virginia is getting right and wrong in its approach to data center development?

Bert Mizusawa: Democrats have fought against local control across Virginia,* and we need to let local communities decide what is best for themselves. Let me be clear: You should decide what gets built in your community, not politicians in Richmond or Washington D.C. Data centers have exposed the failure of the Democrats’ Green New Deal energy policies** that restrict energy production and communities should be empowered to restrict data centers and control their own land use policies.

*Editor’s note: Virginia Republicans have recently criticized Democrat-backed housing and land-use legislation that reduces local control by limiting local government’s authority over some zoning and development decisions. Charlottesville Tomorrow could not identify a major effort by Virginia Democrats to remove local authority over data center approvals, which are decided through local zoning processes.

**The text of the Green New Deal Bill proposed in the House of Representatives in 2019-2020 can be found here.

Kim Farington: Virginia is getting it right by building data centers, as they are a matter of national security* and are very much needed to support our government, military and citizens (i.e. cell phone usage). Virginia could improve by listening to Virginia residents more and by not building data centers so close to schools and communities. Virginia can also improve the energy usage by using nuclear microreactors to provide the energy source for the data centers.** I want to ensure that data center energy usage costs are never passed on to residents.

*Editor’s note: Some policymakers and researchers argue that data centers are a matter of national security because they provide the computing power needed for artificial intelligence, cloud services, military applications and other critical digital infrastructure. The bipartisan Center for Strategic and International Studies has described data centers as “critical strategic infrastructure” tied to U.S. technological leadership and national security.

**Microreactors are small nuclear reactors designed to generate electricity for facilities such as data centers, industrial sites and remote communities. You can read more about them in this April 27, 2026 edition of Today in Energy, a daily publication authored by the U.S. Energy and Information Administration. 

David Williams: Virginia is leading the nation in data center accountability by requiring data centers to pay their fair share of energy and development costs.* Virginia needs to improve on listening to communities when they voice opposition to proposed data center projects in their localities. Local leaders must adhere to the will of the people and not cave to personal interests and self enrichment. Community members should be able to stop data centers if public consensus opposes the project.

*Editor’s note: Data centers pay local property and real estate taxes, and they also receive several tax breaks. For example, some data centers are exempt from state sales and use taxes until at least 2035. State lawmakers continue to debate whether data centers should pay additional fees related to their impacts on energy infrastructure and local communities.

Immigration and labor: Some employers in agriculture, hospitality and other industries say they rely on immigrant workers, while some voters support stricter immigration enforcement. How should the nation’s immigration system address both of those concerns?

Mizusawa: We must keep our borders secure while making legal immigration for those seeking the American Dream available. Those who broke the law and came here illegally should not be given a free path to citizenship over those choosing to do it legally.

Farington: I am a pro-immigration law enforcement candidate. Only properly documented workers should be allowed to work in this country, and only if there are not enough Virginians/Americans to fill those positions. If temporary foreign workers are truly needed and legally brought into the country (like for summer tourism jobs), they should not be paid less than American workers to make sure that companies do not ever undercut the American wage.

Williams: Stricter immigration enforcement is key to Virginia’s future. Illegal immigrants undercut American workers and drive down wages. We need to make sure Virginia high school and college students have a level playing field in the job market when they graduate. Securing our border and removing illegal immigrants is key to protecting American workers and increasing wages for everyone.*

*Editor’s Note: Research generally finds that immigration has little effect on wages overall. However, some studies have found negative wage effects for workers who compete directly with new immigrants, particularly earlier immigrants and U.S.-born workers without high school diplomas. You can read more in this 2017 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report this explainer from the nonpartisan Migration Police Institute and this Economic Policy Institute: Unauthorized Immigrants and the Economy report.

Valley Link, land use and property rights: One of the most common topics brought up by central Virginia voters was Valley Link’s proposed Joshua Falls to Yeat transmission line and its impact on private property, farmland and local communities. Where do you stand on projects like Valley Link, and how should policymakers balance the need for reliable energy with property rights and land preservation?

Mizusawa: Decisions about projects like the Valley Link transmission line should be made by the affected property owners, local communities and state officials, not dictated by Washington. Reliable and affordable energy is essential, but it should not come at the expense of private property rights, productive farmland, or the character of local communities. As a U.S. Senator, I would defend Virginians against federal overreach and oppose using federal eminent domain to benefit private commercial projects.*

*Editor’s note: Eminent domain is the power to force the sale of private property for public use, even if the property owner does not want to sell, provided the owner is compensated. It is most commonly exercised by governments, but private utilities can be granted the authority for some projects. Eminent domain authority for large-scale utility projects generally rests with state regulatory agencies. The federal government has occasionally attempted to bypass state denials, but those efforts were generally struck down in court. In 2021, Congress responded by passing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which clarified the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s authority over certain high-priority transmission corridors.  

Farington: I support energy projects when they are clearly needed and designed to minimize harm. Reliable electricity is important, especially as demand grows, but that does not mean private property, farmland, and rural communities should be treated as easy tradeoffs. Policymakers should first require developers to prove the project is necessary, then push them to use existing corridors, avoid homes and prime farmland, and choose the least disruptive route possible.

If some land use is unavoidable, landowners deserve fair compensation, strong protections, and meaningful involvement before decisions are finalized. Eminent domain should be a last resort. Good policy should balance grid reliability with respect for property rights, community character, and land preservation. In practice, that means building only what is truly needed, placing it where it causes the least damage, and making sure affected residents are heard and treated fairly throughout the process.

Williams: Property rights are paramount to the liberty and freedom enshrined in the Constitution. Companies can not impose on property owners just because they are producing energy or providing transmission. A lot of the frustration arises because this increased demand seems artificially exacerbated by data centers and AI, which has driven up energy prices and imposed negative externalities on communities already.

Congress and executive power: Congress was designed to act as a check on the executive branch, regardless of which party controls the White House. What responsibilities does Congress have when it disagrees with a president’s actions, and where do you believe the limits of presidential authority should be?

Farington: Congress should check the president by passing laws, controlling spending, overseeing executive agencies, confirming or rejecting nominees and approving treaties. If Congress disagrees with presidential action, it should use those constitutional powers to block unlawful or excessive actions rather than relying only on criticism. For military action, Congress can refuse authorization, restrict funding, and use war powers limits to press for accountability.

Presidential authority should be limited by the Constitution, federal law, and individual rights. A president should have enough power to act quickly in emergencies, direct the executive branch, and carry out laws effectively. But that power should end where Congress’s lawmaking power begins, where statutory limits apply, and where basic civil liberties are at risk. In short, the presidency should be strong enough to lead our nation, particularly when time is of the essence, but never strong enough to bypass checks and balances.

Mizusawa: Congress has a responsibility to fulfill its constitutional duties, regardless of which party controls the White House. That means passing laws, controlling federal spending, conducting appropriate oversight and representing the interests of the American people. The Constitution and existing federal law clearly define the scope and limits of presidential authority, and each branch of government should remain within those boundaries. My focus will be on working with President Trump to advance an America First agenda* that strengthens our country and delivers results for Virginians.

*Editor’s note: This refers to President Donald Trump’s America First Priorities.

Williams: Congress should be a check on the President’s power to ensure that the Executive Branch is working for the American people. However, this role has evolved over the past few years and especially under Obama. Executive orders are much more common* and Congress has limited ability to regulate these actions. President Trump must use executive orders sparingly but deliberately when partisan gridlock threatens to stall his America First agenda. Congress in turn should work to support Trump’s pro-America policies and maintain appropriate limits on the power of the Executive Branch.

*Editor’s note: The Federal Registrar tracks the number and type of executive orders issued by presidents since Franklin D. Roosevelt took office in 1937.

Are there any other pressing issues you would like 5th District voters to know about?

Mizusawa: I will always stand with our farmers, small businesses and working families. That means lowering costs, cutting unnecessary regulations, supporting American energy and ensuring Washington works for the people who keep our communities and economy strong.

Farington: Fraud, waste and inefficiencies are plaguing our nation and stealing from our children’s future. As a certified public accountant (CPA) who has dedicated my federal career to solving problems in government financial management (I have already saved the American taxpayer over $1 billion*, I intend to support President Trump’s Anti-Fraud Task Force so that we can expose and eliminate fraud, and put that money back into your pockets. I am a proven leader in this field with a record of directing major financial reforms in government agencies. You can learn more about me at www.KimForVirginia.com.

*Editor’s note: Farington’s campaign states that she helped save taxpayers more than $1 billion through financial reforms during her federal career. Charlottesville Tomorrow was unable to identify public documentation supporting or refuting that figure.

Williams: I am a Marine Corps veteran, Civil War history enthusiast, and the great grandson of a Mecklenburg sharecropper. Only in America can a family go from indentured servitude to federal political office in a few generations!

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