Republican attorney and former Delegate Tim Anderson said his campaign to unseat Democrat Michael Feggans in Virginia’s 97th House of Delegates District could determine which party controls the House next year.
In an interview last week on The John Fredericks Show, Anderson called the Virginia Beach-based seat “the number one vulnerable seat for the Democrats” and “the number one chance Republicans have to pick up a very important seat, which could decide who has the majority in the House.”
“You may not like my politics,” Anderson said, “but when the government’s doing something wrong, I’m usually on the other side of that, trying to stop them.”
The former delegate, who represented part of Virginia Beach before being redistricted out in 2023, described the 97th as a true toss-up district — about one-third Republican, one-third Democrat, and one-third independent. He said it is one of the few remaining parts of Virginia where voters are still willing to split their tickets, pointing to last year’s local elections in which Republican Mayor Bobby Dyer won decisively despite a divided field.
Anderson, who built a reputation as a high-profile attorney taking on government agencies, said his name recognition from those cases helps him connect with voters beyond party lines. “People know me from my law practice,” he said. “They may not agree with me on everything, but they know that I’m anti-government and pro-people. I think that’s who they’re going to want representing them in Richmond.”
He contrasted that record with what he called his opponent’s absence from the campaign trail. Anderson said Feggans “won’t debate, won’t engage, and won’t be in the same room with me.” He accused the Democratic incumbent of focusing on fundraising trips to California while preparing a possible future run for Congress.
“The Virginian-Pilot just did a front-page story on our race,” Anderson said. “If you read it, you know why he won’t debate. I’m out here fighting for the community. He’s not.”
Anderson previously served in the House from 2022 to 2023, representing the old 83rd District, and later ran unsuccessfully for State Senate after being drawn into a district with two Republican colleagues. His law practice in Virginia Beach often centers on civil liberties and constitutional issues, which he says have shaped his message of small government.
Policy-wise, Anderson’s campaign platform includes eliminating Virginia’s car tax, exempting veterans’ retirement income from state taxes, and expanding medical options for veterans suffering from PTSD — including the potential therapeutic use of psilocybin mushrooms. He said he opposes changes to the state’s abortion laws, arguing that the issue “has divided people for too long” and that “there are too many other things to worry about than fighting losing battles.”
On education and gender policies, Anderson said schools should provide private facilities for transgender students but maintain fairness in athletics. “You can’t have a biological boy competing in sports with biological girls,” he said. “We need to be fair to transgender children, but we also have to be fair to the biological girls.”
Anderson also voiced strong support for immigration enforcement, saying federal authorities should deport undocumented immigrants convicted of crimes. “If somebody commits a crime and they’re in the jail, why shouldn’t ICE be allowed to pick them up and deport them?” he said. “That’s just insane to say otherwise.”
The former delegate said his campaign relies on “a strong ground game” and high name recognition, predicting a razor-thin outcome. “Whoever’s gonna win this is probably only going by a few hundred votes,” he said. “But the momentum’s on our side.”
Feggans, a U.S. Air Force veteran and cybersecurity specialist, flipped the 97th District in 2023 and serves on the Public Safety, Transportation, and Labor and Commerce committees in Richmond.
According to campaign finance reports, Feggans has raised more than $370,000 this cycle, while Anderson has reported roughly $240,000. The race has attracted significant outside spending, with both parties designating it as a top-tier battleground in the 2025 elections.
Anderson said Virginians who care about the state’s direction should be watching closely. “Regardless of where you live in Virginia, this is the race that matters,” he said. “Everything else is almost predetermined.”
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Christina Botteri is the Executive Editor of The Virginia Star and The Star News Network. Follow her on X at @christinakb.
Photo “Tim Anderson” by Tim Anderson. Background Photo “Virginia Capitol” by Martin Kraft. CC BY-SA 3.0.
Editor’s Note: John Fredericks is the host of the John Fredericks show and is also the Publisher of The Virginia Star.
