Former Alexandria councilman Seifeldein announces bid for Congress
Source: https://www.alxnow.com
Former Alexandria City Councilman Mohamed “Mo” Seifeldein announced Tuesday to reporters that he will seek the Democratic nomination for Virginia’s 8th Congressional District, challenging five-term incumbent Rep. Don Beyer and positioning himself as a voice for economic change.
Seifeldein, 41, made the announcement during a press call, framing his campaign around what he calls the need for “moral clarity” and leaders who have experienced daily struggles.
“I am running because this moment demands more than faith politics. It demands courage. It demands moral clarity. It demands leaders who don’t just talk about people’s daily struggles, but who have lived them,” Seifeldein said.
The Sudanese American attorney recently resigned from his role as an attorney at the U.S. Department of Labor in protest of what he described as the Trump administration’s attacks on the federal workforce and policies targeting immigrants.
“I recently resigned from my role as a federal attorney not because I gave up on public service, but because I refused to be complicit,” Seifeldein said. “I spent the past five years plus working every day to protect American workers. But over the last several months, I saw firsthand the Trump administration’s concerted attack on the federal workforce.”
Seifeldein becomes the third Democrat seeking the seat, joining Frank Ferreira in challenging Beyer, 75, who announced his reelection bid in June. Republicans Anthony Arthur Sabio, 50, and Heerak Christian Kim are also running.
The candidate emphasized his working-class background, saying he was “raised in a working-class household, a refugee family, where we all pitched in.”
“My parents worked long hours, and my siblings and I worked at McDonald’s just to help make ends meet,” he said.
Seifeldein contrasted his approach with the incumbent’s, saying: “Don Beyer has served for decades, and I respect his tenure. At this moment, it calls for a new kind of leadership and the next generation voice. I’m not running just to be one of 455 members and protect the status quo. I am running to be a force for change.”
The candidate served on the Alexandria City Council from 2019 to 2021, becoming the first Sudanese American elected to the position. He sponsored Virginia’s first independent Community Police Review Board and helped establish what he called the 8 Corps program, pairing mental health professionals with police officers.
When asked by ALXnow to outline his proudest accomplishments from serving on Alexandria City Council, Seifeldein said: “I passed historic collective bargaining laws to empower workers. Along with my colleagues, I protected renters from displacement. I reformed policing and expanded mental health care access.”
Seifeldein briefly considered running for Alexandria mayor in 2021 against incumbent Justin Wilson before ultimately deciding against seeking reelection to council or pursuing the mayoral race. In a statement at the time, he said he would “continue to mentor students and serve the public in other ways.”
His policy priorities center on affordability and access, drawing from personal experience with financial hardship including housing insecurity.
“I believe that everyone should be able to afford a doctor, a home and groceries. Everyone should have access to healthcare because I know what it’s like to be uninsured and denied coverage,” he said.
Seifeldein also advocates for paid family leave, citing polling showing 76% of Americans support congressional action on the issue.
“Caregiving shouldn’t cost your job,” he said. “About 76% of Americans believe that Congress should pass a family leave, including 79% small businesses.”
On foreign policy, he called for ending “endless conflicts,” stating, “it’s time to reinvest in our people and end the endless conflicts in the world.”
Seifeldein said his resignation from federal employment means his sole focus is now the congressional campaign. When asked about his current professional activities, he said “my sole job as of now and moving forward is this campaign, this movement that we are building.”
The candidate emphasized transformative rather than incremental change, saying: “This campaign is about rejecting platitudes and embracing bold action. It’s about building a future rooted in justice, dignity and material change in which every American can afford to feed, house, care for and educate their children.”
According to a campaign press release, Seifeldein’s resignation letter from the Department of Labor will be made available to the press. His campaign adopted the slogan “Go With Mo” and focuses on what it calls universal healthcare, housing justice, workers rights, food safety and immigration reform.
The 8th District includes Alexandria and parts of Arlington and Fairfax counties. Political analysts rate the seat as safely Democratic, making the Democratic primary the determining contest.
Beyer, 75, won his last race in 2024 with 71.5% of the vote and serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and as senior House Democrat on the Joint Economic Committee. He reported 681,353 in cash on hand as of June 30, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
Seifeldein previously won his council seat in 2018 despite raising just 9,800, the least among candidates. The candidate holds degrees from Old Dominion University and Florida Coastal School of Law and has previously operated Seifeldein and Associates law firm.
Primary and candidate filing dates for the 2026 election cycle have not been set. The general election is scheduled for Nov. 3, 2026.
