Political ads · 2026 · VA

Virginia House District 3 2026: the ads, and who's paying for them

Bobby Scott won · 72.6% to 24.1% · Called by AP on Nov 3

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Edwin Rivera (Republican), Bobby Scott (Democrat) and Stephen Woll (independent) are the nominees for Virginia's 3rd congressional district in the November 3, 2026 general election. Bobby Scott is the incumbent. By their latest FEC reports, Edwin Rivera's campaign had raised $15,000 (through October 14, 2026), Bobby Scott's campaign $882,000 (through October 14, 2026) and Stephen Woll's campaign $68,000 (through October 14, 2026).

Edwin Rivera (REP), Bobby Scott (DEM, incumbent), Stephen Woll (IND). 1 other filed with the FEC; any ads they ran are below. 0 ads analyzed, 0 with at least one technique in the copy. Newest first. The paid-for-by line is the advertiser's own filing.

Also on every Virginia ballot: 3 statewide ballot measures → The ballot wording and the official arguments, read for rhetorical techniques.

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Money in this race

From FEC filings for 2025–26. Outside spending is money a group spends on its own about a candidate — TV and online ads, mail, canvassing. It is not a donation to the campaign, and the candidate does not control it. Supporting means it was spent to help that candidate win; Opposing means it was spent to defeat them, usually on attack ads. Groups report it within 24 or 48 hours as the election nears. Raised is the campaign's own fundraising, as of its latest quarterly report. Largest donors come from each outside spender's own FEC receipts, with each donor's share of its itemized receipts; donors under $100,000 are not named. People are shown with the employer and occupation they reported. A donor that is itself a political committee is shown with its own largest donors. Companies and nonprofits don't report their funders to the FEC, so the trail ends there, and the page says so.

Edwin Rivera (REP)

Raised: $15K through 2026-10-14 individuals $6,561 · PACs $1,250 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $4,100 · cash on hand $4,635
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

2 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

HAMPTON REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE $750
NEWPORT NEWS REPUBLICAN COMMITTEE $500

All filings at the FEC ↗

Bobby Scott (DEM, incumbent)

Raised: $882K through 2026-10-14 individuals $449K · PACs $433K · cash on hand $162K
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

96 PACs gave directly — alphabetical; the legal limit is $5,000 per election

ADTALEM GLOBAL EDUCATION INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
ADVANSIX INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AFLAC PAC $5,000
ALTRIA GROUP INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AMALGAMATED SUGAR COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
AMELIA FOR VIRGINIA BEACH $150
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR JUSTICE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AAJ PAC) $7,500
AMERICAN COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,000
AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LIFE INSURERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
AMERICAN CRYSTAL SUGAR COMPANY $10K
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF STATE COUNTY & MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES P E O P L E $7,500
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AFL-CIO COMMITTEE ON POLITICAL EDUCATION $10K
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS $5,000
AMERICAN SUGAR CANE LEAGUE OF USA INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $3,000
ANIMAL WELLNESS ACTION PAC $1,000
ARNOLD & PORTER KAYE SCHOLER LLP (APKS) PARTNERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
AT&T INC. EMPLOYEE FEDERAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (AT&T EMPLOYEE FEDERAL PAC) $1,000
BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION FEDERAL PAC $1,000
BHFS-E, PC PAC (BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE) $1,000
BOYD GAMING CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
CAP-PAC SEPARATE SEGREGATED FUND OF THE NATIONAL COMMUNITY ACTION FOUNDATION INC $7,500
CAPITAL ONE FINANCIAL CORP. ASSOC. POLITICAL FUND $3,500
CAREER EDUCATION COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
CARPENTERS LEGISLATIVE IMPROVEMENT COMMITTEE UNITE $5,000
CHARTER COMMUNICATIONS INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
CHICKASAW NATION $1,000
COMMON GROUND PAC $10K
CONCORDE CAREER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSAL TECHNICAL INSTITUTE INC. PAC $1,500
CVS HEALTH PAC $2,500
DELOITTE FEDERAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITT $5,000
DENTONS US LLP PAC $1,000
DEREK TRAN FOR CONGRESS $91
DOMINION ENERGY, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE - DOMINION PAC $7,500
DRIVE-DEMOCRAT REPUBLICAN INDEPENDENT VOTER EDUCATION (PAC OF THE INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF TEAMSTERS) $5,000
ELEVANCE HEALTH, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (ELEVANCE HEALTH PAC) $2,500
EMPLOYEES OF NORTHROP GRUMMAN CORPORATION PAC $6,000
ENGINEERS POLITICAL EDUCATION COMMITTEE (EPEC)/INTERNATIONAL UNION OF OPERATING ENGINEERS $10K
FEDERATION OF AMERICAN HOSPITALS PAC $2,500
FLORIDA SUGAR CANE LEAGUE PAC $1,000
FORWARD TOGETHER PAC $10K
FRATERNITY & SORORITY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $7,500
FRIENDS OF KAREN BOWDEN $200
GENERAL DYNAMICS CORPORATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (GDC PAC) $2,000
GENWORTH FINANCIAL, INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (GENWORTH PAC) $5,000
HOLLAND & KNIGHT COMMITTEE FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNMEN $1,000
HUNTINGTON INGALLS INDUSTRIES, INC. EMPLOYEES POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (HIIPAC) $1,000
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SHEET METAL, AIR, RAIL AND TRANSPORTATION WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION LEAGUE $5,000
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF BOILERMAKERS CAMPAIGN ASSISTANCE FUND $10K
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD OF ELECTRICAL WORKERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
INTERNATIONAL UNION OF PAINTERS AND ALLIED TRADES $1,000
INVESTMENT COMPANY INSTITUTE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
JEION WARD FOR DELEGATE $250
JOHN HANCOCK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY (USA) FEDERAL POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
KIND FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE $2,000
KING & SPALDING NONPARTISAN COMMITTEE FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT $2,500
MACHINISTS NON PARTISAN POLITICAL LEAGUE OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS & AEROSPACE WORKERS $5,000
MAXIMUS INC POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (MAXPAC) $1,500
MCGUIREWOODS FEDERAL PAC $3,500
MINN-DAK FARMERS COOPERATIVE SUGAR PAC (MDSPAC) $500
MUGLER FOR COUNCIL $500
NATIONAL ACTIVE AND RETIRED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COM (NARFE-PAC) $2,500
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS $190
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS OF U.S.A. POLITICAL FUND (LETTER CARRIER POLITICAL FUND) $5,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF PLUMBING-HEATING-COOLING CONTRACTORS PAC AKA PHCC-PAC $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,000
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SOCIAL WORKERS INC. POLITICAL ACTION FOR CANDIDATE ELECTION (PACE) $2,000
NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL BEER WHOLESALERS ASSOCIATION POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $5,000
NATIONAL COTTON COUNCIL OF AMERICA COMMITTEE FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF COTTON $5,000
NATIONAL ROOFING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION ROOF PAC $4,500
NATIONWIDE MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY FINANCIAL & INVESTMENTS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
NEA FUND FOR CHILDREN AND PUBLIC EDUCATION $5,000
NELNET INC PAC (NELNET PAC) $5,000
NEW YORK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
NOMI HEALTH, INC. PAC $1,500
NORFOLK SOUTHERN CORPORATION GOOD GOVERNMENT FUND $2,000
NORTHWESTERN MUTUAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
PRINCIPAL LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
ROUSE FOR SENATE $1,000
SCHWAN'S COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
SMART TD PAC $1,000
SOUTHERN COMPANY GAS EMPLOYEES PAC $8,500
SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (SQUIRE PATTON BOGGS PAC) $1,000
SUGAR CANE GROWERS COOPERATIVE OF FLORIDA (PAC) $500
SUN LIFE FINANCIAL (U.S.) SERVICES COMPANY INC PAC SUN LIFE PAC $2,500
THE BOEING COMPANY POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
THE CIGNA GROUP EMPLOYEE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
THE HOME DEPOT INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $2,500
THE REAL ESTATE ROUNDTABLE POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (REALPAC) $2,500
TRANSAMERICA CORPORATION PAC $5,000
UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION LOCAL 400 PAC $5,000
UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA - COAL MINERS POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE $1,000
UNITED STEELWORKERS OF AMERICA $5,000
UNUM GROUP POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (UNUMPAC) $2,500
VNA HOLDING INC. POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE (VG PAC) $2,000
WAL PAC $2,500

All filings at the FEC ↗

Stephen Woll (IND)

Raised: $68K through 2026-10-14 individuals $33K · PACs $0 · candidate's own money, incl. loans $35K · cash on hand $15K
Outside spending: none reported

Bundled through PACs: none reported · FEC bulk data of 2026-11-01

All filings at the FEC ↗

No campaign ads analyzed for this race yet.

What this page is

An ad is on this page because its own "Paid for by" line is a campaign in this race; or it comes from a national Senate group and ran mostly in VA; or it ran mostly in VA and names a candidate — unless its sponsor is a campaign for some other office. Ads from outside groups appear alongside the campaigns' own.
Campaigns run one text as many separate ads. Identical text from the same sponsor is one card here, marked with its number of variants.
A technique is a specific rhetorical move in the wording, found by our model and explained in one line. It is not a claim that the ad is false.
Claims are checked when a reader asks: press "Check this ad's claims" on a card. Running a check and seeing its verdicts are part of Semblen Pro, because each check costs money to run; anyone can see which claims an ad makes. The ten ads with the most money behind them in each race are checked ahead of time.
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Video ads come from the campaigns' own YouTube channels; the transcript is analyzed. Meta ads are analyzed on their text; their video and images are not, yet.