Tony Sabio launches a campaign challenging Rep. Don Beyer

Anthony “Tony” Sabio, a Republican originally from Puerto Rico, launched a campaign to challenge Rep. Don Beyer for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District.

“I’m running for Congress because it’s time to restore common sense, courage, and accountability to Washington,” Sabio announced March 27. “The people of Northern Virginia are tired of partisan soundbites and political games. They deserve a representative who listens, leads with integrity, and delivers real results – not more division and broken promises.”

Sabio is a military veteran, a former member of the U.S. Secret Service, and a former CIA officer. According to his LinkedIn profile, he currently works for ABC News as a program manager specializing in security and risk management.  

His mother is Puerto Rican and his father is Filipino. A resident of Vienna, Sabio moved to Northern Virginia after serving in the Navy.

Sabio says his top priorities include supporting law enforcement, parental rights, working families, small businesses, a strong defense, veterans, and members of the military. He says his focus is on “a revival of responsible government.”

All members of the House of Representatives will be on the ballot in the 2026 midterms.

Beyer has served in Congress for the past 10 years, where he is an outspoken critic of President Trump and a strong advocate for the federal workforce. He is the senior Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee.  

The 8th District covers Annandale inside the beltway, Seven Corners, Bailey’s Crossroads, Arlington, Lincolnia, Falls Church, McLean, Alexandria, Mount Vernon, and Mason Neck.

In 2023, Sabio ran for the Providence seat on the Fairfax County School Board, losing to Karl Frisch, the current board chair, with just 32 percent of the vote.  

Last year, Sabio ran for the chairmanship of the Fairfax County Republican Committee, losing to Katie Gorka.

Heerak Christian Kim is also running as a Republican for the 8th District. Kim ran in the Republican Primary for that seat in 2022, where he got just 2 percent of the vote.