Ex-Trump Prosecutor J.P. Cooney to Run for Congress in Virginia as a Democrat

Lead: J.P. Cooney, a former top deputy to special counsel Jack Smith who participated in two prosecutions of Donald J. Trump, is launching a Democratic bid for a newly drawn House district that spans parts of Northern and Central Virginia. The expected announcement on Feb. 11, 2026 follows his dismissal in January 2025 after prosecutors tied to Mr. Smith were purged. Cooney frames his candidacy as a response to what he calls a growing threat to democratic norms and cites the January federal killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis as a catalyst for entering electoral politics. He presents himself as one of the few Democrats in the field with direct experience prosecuting the former president.

Key Takeaways

• J.P. Cooney served as the top deputy to special counsel Jack Smith and worked on both indictments of Donald J. Trump.
• Cooney was fired in January 2025 after a White House-led removal of prosecutors associated with Mr. Smith.
• He is running as a Democrat in a newly drawn Northern/Central Virginia congressional district and will announce his campaign on Feb. 11, 2026.
• Cooney cited the Jan. 2026 killing of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis and subsequent remarks by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as a major motivation.
• He says his prosecution experience distinguishes him from other Democrats and anticipates intense Republican attacks on his prosecutorial record.
• The race could draw national attention because it involves a former federal prosecutor closely tied to high-profile Trump cases.

Background

Jack Smith was appointed special counsel to oversee investigations that produced two separate presidential indictments of Donald J. Trump. As Smith’s top deputy, Cooney worked inside the Justice Department’s public corruption and investigative apparatus on cases that drew extraordinary political scrutiny. In January 2025, after Mr. Trump reclaimed control of the executive branch, dozens of prosecutors connected to Mr. Smith were removed; Cooney was among those dismissed. Virginia’s congressional map was redrawn following the most recent redistricting process, creating a district that blends suburban Northern Virginia precincts with more mixed Central Virginia counties, altering the partisan calculus for 2026.

Virginia has been competitive in recent federal elections, with suburban shifts and turnout patterns producing narrow margins. For Democrats, recruiting high-profile candidates with federal credentials is a strategic priority in districts where moderate voters are decisive. For Republicans, framing former prosecutors as partisan actors has been an effective line of attack in several recent races. The nationalization of local contests after 2020 means a single candidacy can rapidly attract outside spending and attention from both parties.

Main Event

Cooney told reporters and allies that he will file formal campaign paperwork this week and begin a public rollout of his platform, emphasizing rule of law, electoral integrity, and accountability. He framed his decision as a response to what he described as an erosion of institutional checks on the presidency, arguing that Congress has been unable or unwilling to act as an effective restraint on abuses of power. Cooney singled out the Jan. 2026 Minneapolis operation that resulted in Alex Pretti’s death, saying the incident and the public statements that followed convinced him to step into political life.

The campaign is likely to highlight Cooney’s prosecutorial record as evidence of independence and toughness on corruption, while Republicans are expected to attack him as a partisan former federal official who targeted a former president. Cooney acknowledged those risks and said he is prepared for aggressive opposition messaging. Local party officials on both sides have already started outreach: Democratic operatives view his name recognition as an asset in fundraising, while Republican strategists are assembling rapid-response plans to define the race early.

Cooney’s announcement will test how voters in the newly drawn district weigh federal law-enforcement experience against partisan narratives. Early endorsements and initial fundraising tallies, expected in the week after his filing, will be closely watched as indicators of whether the race will remain local or become a nationalized proxy battle.

Analysis & Implications

Cooney’s entry converts a race in a competitive Virginia district into a potential bellwether for how voters respond to candidates with recent federal prosecutorial backgrounds. His resume gives him credibility on law-and-order themes, but it simultaneously hands Republicans a ready-made line to cast him as politically motivated. That duality makes messaging and debate framing critical; Cooney will need to demonstrate impartiality and connect prosecutorial experience to constituent priorities like cost of living and infrastructure.

National donors and political action committees are likely to view this seat as winnable for both parties, increasing the probability of outside spending. If outside groups pour money into the race, the campaign could shift quickly from retail politics to a high-cost media fight. For Democrats, winning the district would be a defensive success that helps preserve House margins; for Republicans, flipping a seat held in a competitive suburban area would bolster their midterm positioning.

Beyond immediate electoral math, Cooney’s candidacy underscores a broader trend of former federal officials entering politics after high-profile investigations. That pipeline raises questions about the perceived neutrality of career prosecutors and the boundaries between criminal enforcement and electoral ambition. How voters reconcile respect for prosecutorial expertise with concerns about politicization will influence not only this contest but future campaigns across jurisdictions.

Comparison & Data

The timeline above highlights the proximate events shaping Cooney’s decision. Redistricting produced the new seat map that makes this district competitive in 2026, and national attention to Trump-related prosecutions amplifies any candidacy connected to those investigations.

Reactions & Quotes

Cooney’s announcement prompted swift responses from multiple quarters. Supporters emphasized his experience; critics focused on partisan optics.

‘I lie awake every night worrying that Donald Trump does not have the best interests of our country in mind,’ Cooney said, describing his motivation to run.

J.P. Cooney

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Alex Pretti as a ‘domestic terrorist’ during public comments after the Minneapolis operation, a characterization Cooney criticized as misleading.

Kristi Noem (paraphrase)

A Republican strategist said early messaging will seek to portray Cooney as a partisan figure despite his prosecutorial title, signaling a likely focus on past case work.

GOP strategist (anonymous)

Unconfirmed

• Extent of outside spending expected in the district is not yet known and may depend on early fundraising reports.
• How voters in the new district will weigh Cooney’s prosecutorial past versus local issues remains uncertain ahead of polls or primary results.
• Specific Republican challengers and their attack strategies are still being finalized and therefore unconfirmed.

Bottom Line

J.P. Cooney’s entry into the Virginia congressional race brings a high-profile legal background into a competitive and newly configured district. His prosecutorial credentials could both energize Democratic donors and provide Republicans with material for attack ads, making message discipline and local outreach essential to his prospects. The campaign will likely attract national attention and outside resources quickly, turning a single House seat into a broader test of how voters view the intersection of law enforcement experience and partisan politics.

For observers, the race will be a barometer of whether voters reward a candidate who says he acted out of concern for democratic norms, or whether they respond more strongly to narratives about impartiality and political motivation. Early fundraising, endorsements and the initial framing of the campaign will be decisive in shaping that narrative.

Sources

• The New York Times – news report on Cooney’s announcement and background