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Meet the candidates at our next meeting on
Thursday, June 19th.
RSVP to [email protected] for details
Thursday, June 19th.
RSVP to [email protected] for details
Karina Lipsman was born in the former Soviet Union and came to the U.S. as a child refugee, relying on food stamps and determination to forge a path forward.
She became a U.S. citizen at 18, put herself through college and grad school, and built a successful career in national security, advising top U.S. leaders and working with major defense contractors. Karina now works for the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and was appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin to the Office of New Americans Advisory Board.
Her story is the American Dream. She’s ready to protect it in Congress. Karina believes in economic freedom, public safety, and securing America’s future, rejecting the failed policies of career politicians.
She’s not a show pony. She’s a work horse, and she’s ready to fight for you.
karinaforcongress.com
She became a U.S. citizen at 18, put herself through college and grad school, and built a successful career in national security, advising top U.S. leaders and working with major defense contractors. Karina now works for the Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation and was appointed by Governor Glenn Youngkin to the Office of New Americans Advisory Board.
Her story is the American Dream. She’s ready to protect it in Congress. Karina believes in economic freedom, public safety, and securing America’s future, rejecting the failed policies of career politicians.
She’s not a show pony. She’s a work horse, and she’s ready to fight for you.
karinaforcongress.com
Nathan Headrick is a proud American entrepreneur and investment fund executive with deep roots in service and leadership. Raised in North Carolina, Nathan went on to earn his master’s degree from Harvard University and his law degree from Georgetown, driven by a belief in hard work, faith, and the promise of the American Dream. Today, he and his wife Kerry are raising their five children in Great Falls, Virginia—committed to community, country, and the future of our nation.
Nathan is running for Congress in Virginia’s 11th District because he believes now is the time to build on Republican momentum from prior elections, and to inspire a new generation of conservative voters. With a strong campaign team and the resources to deliver a winning message, Nathan is focused on simple common sense - fighting for lower taxes, stronger communities, personal freedom and integrity in our dialogues. He stands for the values that make this country strong and will be a voice for every Northern Virginian who is ready to say 'enough' to ineffective policies and wasteful spending.
headrickforcongress.com
Nathan is running for Congress in Virginia’s 11th District because he believes now is the time to build on Republican momentum from prior elections, and to inspire a new generation of conservative voters. With a strong campaign team and the resources to deliver a winning message, Nathan is focused on simple common sense - fighting for lower taxes, stronger communities, personal freedom and integrity in our dialogues. He stands for the values that make this country strong and will be a voice for every Northern Virginian who is ready to say 'enough' to ineffective policies and wasteful spending.
headrickforcongress.com
Mike Van Meter is a resident of Burke, VA since 2010, where he raised his two children and wife of 35 years. He is currently an addiction counselor at a hospital in Northern Virginia.
Mike received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida in Political Science in August of 1988. After graduation, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy and served 8 years as a helicopter pilot.
While on active duty, Mike earned his Master of Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma in Human Relations in 1998. Mike also served as a Police Officer for the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, DC prior to entering duty with the FBI on January 3, 1999. He served in the Dallas, Texas Division of the FBI where he investigated various violations and also served as a pilot flying surveillance missions in support of Dallas Division cases.
In August of 2008, Mike transferred to FBI Headquarters and in June of 2010, transferred to the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia where he taught new FBI Agents Interviewing and Interrogation techniques. Mike then became an instructor teaching Police Executives at the FBI National Academy beginning in 2011 where he taught Interviewing and Interrogation, Public Speaking, Officer Involved Shootings, and later created a course titled Leading At-Risk Employees. This course focused on understanding alcoholism, prescription drug abuse, PTSD, suicide, and domestic violence as it relates to programs, policies, and procedures for law enforcement agencies. In order to teach these courses, Mike became an Adjunct Professor for the University of Virginia.
In January of 2017, Mike transferred to the National Joint Terrorism Task Force, Civil Aviation Security Program. In this capacity, he served as the Program Manager of over 450 Airport Liaison Agents located at federally controlled airports around the United States. He continued to serve as an Employee Assistance Program Counselor and provided presentations regarding alcoholism and recovery nationwide.
In July of 2019, Mike retired from the FBI after 20 years of dedicated service. He continued with his vision to educate and help the public overcome addiction, remove the stigma associated with addiction, and help those suffering from addiction achieve and maintain sobriety in order to live healthy and productive lives.
Mike recently completed another Master of Arts degree in Addiction Counseling: Integrated Recovery for Co-Occurring Disorders from the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies in August of 2022.
He currently works full-time as a behavioral therapist at a major hospital in Northern Virginia.
vanmeterforvirginia.com
Mike received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida in Political Science in August of 1988. After graduation, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Navy and served 8 years as a helicopter pilot.
While on active duty, Mike earned his Master of Arts degree from the University of Oklahoma in Human Relations in 1998. Mike also served as a Police Officer for the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington, DC prior to entering duty with the FBI on January 3, 1999. He served in the Dallas, Texas Division of the FBI where he investigated various violations and also served as a pilot flying surveillance missions in support of Dallas Division cases.
In August of 2008, Mike transferred to FBI Headquarters and in June of 2010, transferred to the FBI Academy at Quantico, Virginia where he taught new FBI Agents Interviewing and Interrogation techniques. Mike then became an instructor teaching Police Executives at the FBI National Academy beginning in 2011 where he taught Interviewing and Interrogation, Public Speaking, Officer Involved Shootings, and later created a course titled Leading At-Risk Employees. This course focused on understanding alcoholism, prescription drug abuse, PTSD, suicide, and domestic violence as it relates to programs, policies, and procedures for law enforcement agencies. In order to teach these courses, Mike became an Adjunct Professor for the University of Virginia.
In January of 2017, Mike transferred to the National Joint Terrorism Task Force, Civil Aviation Security Program. In this capacity, he served as the Program Manager of over 450 Airport Liaison Agents located at federally controlled airports around the United States. He continued to serve as an Employee Assistance Program Counselor and provided presentations regarding alcoholism and recovery nationwide.
In July of 2019, Mike retired from the FBI after 20 years of dedicated service. He continued with his vision to educate and help the public overcome addiction, remove the stigma associated with addiction, and help those suffering from addiction achieve and maintain sobriety in order to live healthy and productive lives.
Mike recently completed another Master of Arts degree in Addiction Counseling: Integrated Recovery for Co-Occurring Disorders from the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies in August of 2022.
He currently works full-time as a behavioral therapist at a major hospital in Northern Virginia.
vanmeterforvirginia.com
Lucas Rand is a devoted husband, father, decorated military veteran, and hospital administrator, whose life is defined by an unwavering commitment to service. He enlisted in the Army in 2003, and while serving, he earned an undergraduate degree through Excelsior College and later an MBA from the University of North Carolina in 2022.
His distinguished 20-year military career began with basic training at Fort Jackson, SC, and advanced air traffic control training at Fort Rucker, AL. Promoted to Sergeant in Korea, Lucas was selected for Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA and commissioned as a Logistics Officer in 2005.
At Fort Bragg with the 82nd Airborne Division, he earned Jumpmaster wings and led as a Platoon Leader and Company Commander. Deploying to Afghanistan twice for a total of 27 months, he earned the Combat Action Badge, two Bronze Stars, three Meritorious Service Medals, and two Army Commendation Medals. He also served at the Pentagon, and although Lucas was selected for Battalion Command, he made the difficult decision to retire in 2023. Transitioning to civilian life, Lucas channeled his passion for service into healthcare, completing an internship at Reston Hospital Center and now serving as a hospital administrator.
As a voting member of the Fairfax County Republican Party, Lucas Rand is running for Congress to restore servant leadership to government. Driven by a belief that political infighting, posturing, and games are not service, he is committed to putting Virginians first, delivering real results, and setting aside partisan distractions. His campaign is rooted in a proven record of getting things done—whether leading soldiers in combat, reforming military policy, cutting exorbitant taxes, stopping government waste, or improving healthcare systems.
www.lucasrand.com
His distinguished 20-year military career began with basic training at Fort Jackson, SC, and advanced air traffic control training at Fort Rucker, AL. Promoted to Sergeant in Korea, Lucas was selected for Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, GA and commissioned as a Logistics Officer in 2005.
At Fort Bragg with the 82nd Airborne Division, he earned Jumpmaster wings and led as a Platoon Leader and Company Commander. Deploying to Afghanistan twice for a total of 27 months, he earned the Combat Action Badge, two Bronze Stars, three Meritorious Service Medals, and two Army Commendation Medals. He also served at the Pentagon, and although Lucas was selected for Battalion Command, he made the difficult decision to retire in 2023. Transitioning to civilian life, Lucas channeled his passion for service into healthcare, completing an internship at Reston Hospital Center and now serving as a hospital administrator.
As a voting member of the Fairfax County Republican Party, Lucas Rand is running for Congress to restore servant leadership to government. Driven by a belief that political infighting, posturing, and games are not service, he is committed to putting Virginians first, delivering real results, and setting aside partisan distractions. His campaign is rooted in a proven record of getting things done—whether leading soldiers in combat, reforming military policy, cutting exorbitant taxes, stopping government waste, or improving healthcare systems.
www.lucasrand.com
Manuel "Sam" Wong is an American-born, 3rd-generation U.S. Army Veteran with 28 years of distinguished active-duty service including combat tours and diplomatic assignments across the globe.
A proud recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, Sam has also served with distinction in the Intelligence Community, building deep expertise in international security and strategic affairs. The son of Chinese-Peruvian legal immigrants, Sam brings a global perspective rooted in conservative American values.
Over four decades living and working in China, Japan, Europe, and South America have given him a unique understanding of both foreign policy and the challenges facing American families today. Sam is a Christian Conservative, small business owner, and passionate community advocate.
He holds dual Master's degrees in STEM and Business Administration. Currently, he serves as an influential Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) leader, elected as Post Commander for three consecutive years giving voice to the concerns of Veterans and their families across Virginia.
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A proud recipient of the Bronze Star Medal, Sam has also served with distinction in the Intelligence Community, building deep expertise in international security and strategic affairs. The son of Chinese-Peruvian legal immigrants, Sam brings a global perspective rooted in conservative American values.
Over four decades living and working in China, Japan, Europe, and South America have given him a unique understanding of both foreign policy and the challenges facing American families today. Sam is a Christian Conservative, small business owner, and passionate community advocate.
He holds dual Master's degrees in STEM and Business Administration. Currently, he serves as an influential Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) leader, elected as Post Commander for three consecutive years giving voice to the concerns of Veterans and their families across Virginia.
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Stewart Whitson is a U.S. Army combat veteran and a former FBI Special Agent, currently serving at one of our country's top conservative think tanks. There, he fights every day to advance conservative policy on Capitol Hill. With President Trump back in office, Republicans need true conservatives in Congress to help the President restore common sense and get the country back on-track. Republicans have now been given what could be a once-in-a-generation opportunity to seize the District from the grip of the Democrat party, strengthen our narrow majority in Congress, and deliver results for the American people. As a proven conservative, armed with decades of experience, who knows how to get things done on Capitol Hill, Stewart is ready to serve our District in Congress. Stewart is the only candidate with the experience and skill needed not only to defeat the Democrats in September, but to help President Trump advance the America First agenda. It's time to fix the economy, restore public safety, and tackle waste, fraud, and abuse. Stewart will help the President achieve all three. Longtime residents of Great Falls, Stewart and his wife Melissa have been happily married for 20 years and are the proud parents of five school-aged children.
Stewart currently serves as the Senior Director of Federal Affairs for one of the nation's premier conservative think tanks. In that role, he leads a team tasked with advancing conservative policies through Congress that promote limited, constitutional government and improve the lives of millions of Americans. As part of his job, Stewart routinely testifies before Congress in public hearings and closed-door briefings on a wide range of federal issues. He has appeared on numerous television and radio programs to promote conservative policies and has published dozens of articles in a wide range of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, The Federalist, The American Spectator, and The Washington Examiner, among others.
Stewart served in the FBI for almost a decade, leading a large section in the FBI's Directorate of Intelligence as his final assignment. Earlier in his career, Stewart served as the FBI's lead investigator following the first ISIS-claimed attack upon the U.S. homeland and deployed to Iraq, Jordan, and Eastern Europe in support of other FBI investigations. Stewart also served as a member of the FBI SWAT team and as an FBI-certified legal advisor for national security-related matters.
Stewart is also a U.S. Army veteran, having personally led more than 300 combat missions in Iraq, including a mission that led to the successful rescue of a hostage.
Stewart earned a Juris Doctorate degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota, a master's degree from the George Washington University, and a Certificate in Strategic Management from Georgetown.
Stewart is a former adjunct professor at Catholic University and a licensed attorney and member of the Minnesota State Bar. Stewart is admitted as an Attorney and Counselor of the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Tenth and Eleventh Circuits and has appeared pro hac vice before numerous courts across the country, all in defense of conservative policies and values.
In his free time, Stewart coaches his kids and volunteers with the Knights of Columbus, and as an usher at Saint Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church.
Stewart currently serves as the Senior Director of Federal Affairs for one of the nation's premier conservative think tanks. In that role, he leads a team tasked with advancing conservative policies through Congress that promote limited, constitutional government and improve the lives of millions of Americans. As part of his job, Stewart routinely testifies before Congress in public hearings and closed-door briefings on a wide range of federal issues. He has appeared on numerous television and radio programs to promote conservative policies and has published dozens of articles in a wide range of media outlets, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, The Federalist, The American Spectator, and The Washington Examiner, among others.
Stewart served in the FBI for almost a decade, leading a large section in the FBI's Directorate of Intelligence as his final assignment. Earlier in his career, Stewart served as the FBI's lead investigator following the first ISIS-claimed attack upon the U.S. homeland and deployed to Iraq, Jordan, and Eastern Europe in support of other FBI investigations. Stewart also served as a member of the FBI SWAT team and as an FBI-certified legal advisor for national security-related matters.
Stewart is also a U.S. Army veteran, having personally led more than 300 combat missions in Iraq, including a mission that led to the successful rescue of a hostage.
Stewart earned a Juris Doctorate degree and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from the University of Minnesota, a master's degree from the George Washington University, and a Certificate in Strategic Management from Georgetown.
Stewart is a former adjunct professor at Catholic University and a licensed attorney and member of the Minnesota State Bar. Stewart is admitted as an Attorney and Counselor of the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the Tenth and Eleventh Circuits and has appeared pro hac vice before numerous courts across the country, all in defense of conservative policies and values.
In his free time, Stewart coaches his kids and volunteers with the Knights of Columbus, and as an usher at Saint Catherine of Sienna Catholic Church.
Arthur Purves grew up in Washington, D.C., and has a BA, MS, and MBA from the University of Pennsylvania. He retired after 40 years as a computer programmer. He and his late wife, Carol, moved to Vienna in 1976. They have two children, who attended Fairfax County Public Schools grades K-12, and eight grandchildren. He was president of the Marshall High School lacrosse boosters and the Thomas Jefferson High School crew boosters. For 27 years he has been president of the Fairfax County Taxpayers Alliance. Arthur was Scoutmaster for a small Latino troop, has helped a refugee family with asylum applications, was treasurer for the Fairfax Committee of 100 and served on the 2014 Fairfax County Meals Tax Task Force and on the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Family Life Education Advisory Committee. He is currently on the FCPS Equitable Access to Literacy Community Advisory Committee.