Former Pence Adviser Olivia Troye Runs for Congress in Virginia

Olivia Troye, a former national security adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, announced Tuesday that she is running for Congress as a Democrat in Virginia's proposed 7th Congressional District. The district, which would stretch from the Democratic-leaning suburbs of northern Virginia to rural areas in the state's central and western regions, awaits approval from voters in a statewide referendum on April 21.

Troye, who served on the Trump administration's COVID-19 task force and as Pence's counterterrorism adviser, left her White House role in July 2020 citing ethical concerns over the handling of the pandemic. She has since become a vocal critic of former President Donald Trump, endorsing Joe Biden in 2020 and speaking at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in support of Kamala Harris. In a video announcing her candidacy, Troye described her motivations: "The evil I saw in that White House was staggering. In 2020, I finally said, 'Enough.' And they came for me. Trump doesn't scare me. I took him on when it mattered the most, and I'm ready to do it again."

Her entry into the race adds to a competitive Democratic primary field that includes Dorothy McAuliffe, former first...