VIRGINIA, USA — Hung Cao, Jonathan Emord, Eddie Garcia, Scott Parkinson, and Chuck Smith are running in the GOP primary for the U.S. Senate in Virginia.
The five Republicans are vying for a chance to unseat Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat and former vice presidential candidate who has held the position since 2013.
Cao, a retired Navy captain, is now endorsed by former president Donald Trump.
According to his campaign website, he wants to secure the border by building a wall, using advanced technology, and supporting the Border Patrol.
In an ad, Cao, who was born in Vietnam, makes comparisons between the country’s communist regime during the Cold War to the Biden Administration.
Emord is a constitutional attorney based in Williamsburg, who said the border crisis is the top issue facing the country, including for Virginians.
He said the issue is a key factor in drug trafficking into the Commonwealth. Emord listed other priorities including lowering crime and inflation.
"People are being torn to shreds because of inflation," Emord said. "The grocery prices are ridiculous. The gas prices are ridiculous."
Garcia told 13News Now he wants to focus on border security, school choice, eliminating some taxes for seniors, and healthcare for veterans.
The Army combat veteran said he will advocate for smaller government and that he is prepared to stand up for Virginians.
"I'm going to make a principled stand on behalf of the working people of Virginia," said Garcia. "If that means going against my party, then so be it. It means going against my own party."
Parkinson is a former chief of staff for Ron DeSantis.
He said Congress needs new voices to grow the economy, fix illegal immigration and protect children. Parkinson also said more needs to be done to support veterans.
"We need to make sure that we have exceptional care for our veteran community," said Parkinson. "They need to access a private marketplace and make sure their veteran expenses are being taken care of by the federal government."
Smith is a Virginia Beach-based veteran and longtime lawyer who in 2021 came within three points of edging out Jason Miyares for the GOP nomination for Virginia's attorney general.
Smith said he prides himself on defending Constitutional rights. He says the U.S. does not need new laws to protect the border, but it should enforce current ones.
"We need to stop all immigration into the United States until we fix our border issue," he said.
All candidates who spoke to 13News Now said their support of Trump has not changed after his felony conviction in New York, and they criticized the judicial process in the case.
They also pushed back on the United State's involvement in the war in Ukraine, while expressing support for Israel against Hamas.
The primary will take place on June 18.
Virginians have not elected a Republican to the upper chamber since 2002.