A Democrat aiming to unseat a Republican House representative in Virginia is being scrutinized over the amount of time he is actually dedicating to the district he aims to serve.
James Osyf, 40, who serves as an executive at Lockheed Martin, is the leading figure among three Democratic contenders vying against two-term incumbent Jen Kiggans (R-Va.).
Although the competitive 2nd Congressional District is situated along Virginia’s southeastern coast, Osyf is registered as the owner of a $1.7 million residence in Washington, DC, and has filed his campaign paperwork using a capital city address, which is approximately 200 miles from the constituents he seeks to represent in Congress.
In addition, a review of publicly available records indicates Osyf does not live anywhere in the district.
“While it’s constitutionally legal to run for a House seat from outside the district, it’s a rare occurrence, and rarely successful,” Dante Scala, a professor of political science at the University of New Hampshire who has studied political campaigns for decades, told The Post.
“Voters expect, rationally enough, that they are better represented by someone who resides in their district, all other things being equal. Political opponents quickly jump on this,” he added.
“It certainly doesn’t look good,” agreed Todd Belt, the director of the Political Management program at George Washington University, “which is why candidates often fake a residence in a district in order to run there.”
Kiggans, who unseated Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria in 2022 and was re-elected last year, registered her campaign in Virginia Beach, in the heart of the district.
FEC registrations can be amended, so it is possible for Osyf to change his base of operations and his residence as the drive for votes revs up.
However, GOP operatives keen on holding the toss-up seat have already taken notice.
“James Osyf is a DC resident and political opportunist who has no business representing Virginians,” National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) spokesperson Maureen O’Toole alleged to The Post. “Voters don’t want him in Hampton Roads, and they’ll reject him next year.”
Earlier this month, Osyf sat for an interview with a local news outlet, The Virginian-Pilot, which claimed he “lives in Virginia Beach.”
However, property records give no indication that the candidate owns a home in the city, though that does not preclude the possibility of him renting a house or apartment.
DC property records, on the other hand, show that Osyf purchased a lavish three-story home in DC’s Eckington neighborhood back in 2023.
Real estate firm Redfin estimates the late-19th century townhome is now worth $1.86 million and describes it as a “Commanding Victorian Brownstone” and a “masterpiece renovation.”
Osyf’s campaign did not respond to repeated requests to clarify the candidate’s living situation.
Osyf does have at least one known connection to southeast Virginia: His LinkedIn profile indicates that he has served as a reserve officer in the Navy’s Second Fleet since 2023. That fleet is based in nearby Norfolk, which is covered by a different congressional district.
Osyf appears to have spent the bulk of the last decade in and around DC. His LinkedIn profile lists his current job as director of policy and program operations at Lockheed Martin in suburban Bethesda, Md., in addition to stints in the Navy Reserve in DC, San Diego and Virginia Beach.
Osyf attended Georgetown University Law Center between 2015 and 2019, before being admitted to the DC Bar in January 2020, according to the DC Bar Association.
Virginia law requires candidates to be residents of the commonwealth for at least one year immediately before the election in order to qualify to hold office.
