Del. Sam Rasoul is “testing the waters” for a congressional bid next year that could pit him against Roanoke author Beth Macy, who countered that she offers a change from “career politicians.” 

Rasoul, D-Roanoke, said he’s forming an exploratory committee that will assess voter opinions and funding. A General Assembly member since 2014, he was reelected to the state House in November with 70 percent of the vote.

“Our region deserves a fighter in Congress who will never back down in the face of injustice at home and abroad, and will tackle the affordability crisis that we all face,” Rasoul said in a Monday news release. “As a Palestinian-American who has represented Appalachia in the Virginia General Assembly for over a decade, I am proud to have spent my career standing up to special interests who have rigged the system against Virginia’s working families.”

Rasoul’s announcement comes as a pending redistricting could make it easier for Democrats to get elected in 2026. That is a prerequisite if he is to run, Rasoul said. If that happens, Rasoul could be running against Macy — and potentially numerous others — for the Democratic nomination in what could be a new congressional district. Last month, as Macy announced her campaign in the current 6th District, Rasoul said he helped advise her and that he was supporting “my friend Beth Macy.”

On Monday, in a text to The Roanoke Rambler, Macy wrote: “Adore Sam but pointing out that I was willing to dance with who brung me, not waiting till politically favorable. I welcome the challenge. The time has come for leaders, not just career politicians.”

Rasoul said Monday his support of Macy hasn’t changed based on what’s happening at present, with the 6th District’s red-leaning existing boundaries and three Democrats — Macy, Pete Barlow and Ken Mitchell — seeking the party’s nomination to challenge Rep. Ben Cline, R-Botetourt County. 

But candidates such as Macy, Barlow and Mitchell are campaigning in a political landscape that could be bulldozed by spring. The Democratically-controlled state legislature including Rasoul — along with Democratic Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger — is expected to ask for a statewide referendum to temporarily redraw Virginia’s 11 congressional districts. (Redistricting would occur again after the 2030 Census). If voters approve the referendum, likely in April, Democrats would then redraw districts to give their party a favorable path to more seats. Such moves by Republicans and Democrats are happening across the country, prompted by a Donald Trump-backed plan to create more Republican seats in Texas.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that Texas can use its new map, which was challenged as racially discriminatory. That court decision paves the way for other states to do the same.

How the Virginia map would look remains to be seen, and various possibilities exist. One option would create a new Democratic-leaning district based on voting history that would include Roanoke and Charlottesville (now in the 5th District) and potentially Blacksburg (now in the 9th).

However boundaries would be redrawn, Rasoul said he assumes there will still be three districts in the region as there are now (5th, 6th and 9th). And that raises the possibility that some Democratic candidates that are now running in the 5th and 9th could find themselves living in a newly drawn 6th. 

It’s a lot for campaigns to take in at the moment.

Julian Waters, Mitchell’s deputy communications director, wrote in an email that there are strong Democratic organizations across the district and “Ken continues to work towards not only flipping the 6th District in its current configuration but strengthening each of the local parties so that Democrats are competitive in every county, which is important regardless of whether or not the district maps change.”

The Barlow campaign did not respond to requests for comment this week. 

Rasoul, chairman of the House Education Committee, declined to assess his potential as a frontrunner in a congressional race next year, particularly should he find himself in a race with four or more candidates. He has a congressional race under his belt – losing to Republican Bob Goodlatte in 2008. And Rasoul ran statewide, finishing second in the six-way statewide Democratic primary for lieutenant governor in 2021 when he raised more than $2 million.

“I feel like we’ve built a good brand, and we have a great network of supporters,” he said.