Albemarle County Supervisor, Mike Pruitt, is hemorrhaging endorsers. The fledgling Democrat’s previously fait-accompli campaign for Virginia’s Fifth Congressional District nomination now appears a low-odds longshot.
The reason? Former Fifth District congressman Tom Perriello’s late entry into the Democrat primary.
Pruitt was fast out-of-the-gate with a July 28, 2025 email touting a who’s who of prominent local Democrat endorsers:
Albemarle Commonwealth Attorney Jim Hingley
Fluvanna County Board of Supervisors Chair Tony O’Brien
Mayor of Scottsville Ron Smith
Albemarle County Board of Supervisors Chair Jim Andrews
Virginia Organizing Founder Joe Szakos
Candidate for House of Delegates District 56 Angela Chainer
Candidate for House of Delegates District 52 Risë Hayes
Albemarle Board of Supervisors Member Bea LaPisto-Kirtley
Albemarle Board of Supervisors Member Diantha McKeel
Former Albemarle Board of Supervisors Chair Donna Price
Albemarle County School Board Member Allison Spillman
Albemarle County School Board Member Ellen Osborne
Former Albemarle County School Board Member Steve Kolezar
Charlottesville Vice Mayor Brian Pinkston
Charlottesville City Council Member Natalie Oschrin
Former Charlottesville Vice Mayor Sena Magill
Former Charlottesville City Council Member Kristen Szakos
Charlottesville School Board Member Amanda Burns
Candidate for Charlottesville Board of Supervisors Sally Duncan
Candidate for Charlottesville School Board Dashad Cooper
A November 21, 2025 Instagram post declared the following “New” endorsements for Pruitt:
Juandiego Wade Charlottesville Mayor
Odessa Pride Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors
Jordan Miles Fmr Buckingham County Board of Supervisors
Dr. Earnadette Powell Ferrar Fmr Candidate for HOD 50, Mecklenburg Co Educator
Ned Gallaway Albermarle County Board of Supervisors
Fred Missel Albermarle Co Board of Supervisors, Fmr Planning Commission Chair
Sally Duncan Albemarle County Board of Supervisors
Graham Paige Albemarle County School Board Member
Scott Konopasek Fmr Candidate for HOD 59, Army Veteran
Lonnie Murray Albemarle County Planning Commissioner
Nathan Moore Albemarle County Planning Commissioner
When Perriello crashed Pruitt’s nomination celebration by jumping-in unexpectedly on December 9, 2025, Pruitt endorsers faced a difficult decision: stay loyal to an almost certain loser (Pruitt) or jump ship to the odds-on primary winner (Perriello).
While there have been no official Pruitt-endorsement retractions, two high-profile endorsers have switched teams and thrown Pruitt under the Perriello bus. In a January 9, 2026 Instagram video, Charlottesville Mayor, Juan Diego Wade, and Vice Mayor, Natalie Oschrin, appear with Perriello to offer their respective glowing endorsements of his campaign. No mention of their previous support for Pruitt.
Pruitt would be wise to drop-out for a number of reasons:
- To avoid an embarrassing blow-out loss
- To conserve Democrat resources (campaign expenditures)
- To show respect to Perriello and the Democrat establishment
But mostly, Pruitt should step-out of this race in order to bring relief to his early endorsers—presently in a very uncomfortable position—who would like to be free to openly support Tom Perriello for the Fifth District nomination.
