Republican incumbent Rep. John McGuire announced that he had won reelection in Virginia's 5th Congressional District on Tuesday night, telling supporters gathered at a watch party in Charlottesville that the race was his. His Democratic opponent, former Rep. Tom Perriello, pushed back, arguing the contest remains too tight to decide.
Figures from the Associated Press showed just how narrow the margin was. As of 12:15 a.m., McGuire held 49.9% of the vote against Perriello's 48.35%, with the AP reporting that 97.4% of ballots had been counted.
Perriello, who previously represented the 5th District in Congress from 2009 to 2011, issued a statement just after midnight making clear he was not ready to concede.
"The race for the 5th District is too close to call and every vote must be counted," Perriello said.
The Democrat pointed to what he described as strong momentum for his campaign, noting enthusiasm at polling places, growing backing in rural communities and among African-American voters, and a large volume of same-day voter registrations.
"I am grateful to every voter and to every volunteer who helped get us this far," he added. "We must ensure all of the thousands of votes left to count, including those of our brave men and women in uniform serving overseas, are counted and every voice is heard."
McGuire has held his seat in the House of Representatives since 2025. A victory would extend Republican control of a district that covers a wide stretch of Southside Virginia.
The 5th Congressional District runs from the Charlottesville area down to the North Carolina border, encompassing a broad swath of the state's southern region.
With a small share of ballots still outstanding and the candidates separated by less than two percentage points, the final outcome could hinge on the remaining uncounted votes, including ballots from military members stationed abroad.
