Courage. That is the word that comes to mind when examining this latest development in the ever-churning machinery of American politics, though whether it represents courage or something else entirely depends on where you stand.
JP Cooney, an attorney who worked alongside former special counsel Jack Smith in the criminal prosecutions of President Donald Trump, has thrown his hat into the congressional ring. The Democrat is seeking to represent Virginia’s 7th District, and his campaign announcement pulls no punches about his recent history.
“I was fired by Donald Trump’s Department of Justice because of my work to prosecute him. But I won’t let Trump, or anyone, stop me from serving,” Cooney declared in his Wednesday campaign announcement on social media.
Now, let us be clear about what we are witnessing here. This is not your typical congressional candidate with a background in local politics or community organizing. This is a man whose professional identity has become inextricably linked to the legal battles that have consumed much of the national discourse over the past several years.
The timing of this announcement deserves scrutiny. It comes on the heels of former special counsel Jack Smith’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, a hearing that produced no shortage of heated exchanges and political theater. Smith himself appeared before lawmakers as questions mounted about the nature and conduct of the prosecutions he led.
For conservatives watching this unfold, the concerns are substantial and worth examining with clear eyes. Here is an individual who participated in what many on the right view as a politically motivated prosecution of a former president, now seeking to join the very legislative body that provides oversight of the Justice Department. The appearance of political motivations, whether fair or not, hangs heavy over this candidacy.
Virginia’s 7th District has been a competitive battleground in recent election cycles, and Cooney’s entry into the race adds another layer of complexity to an already charged political environment. His campaign is betting that voters will see his Justice Department work as a badge of honor rather than a liability.
The response from both Cooney’s campaign and the White House to requests for additional comment remained pending as of Thursday, leaving many questions unanswered about the specifics of his dismissal and his future policy positions beyond his Trump-related work.
What cannot be disputed is this: Cooney’s candidacy represents yet another example of how the Trump prosecutions continue to reverberate through American political life. These legal proceedings have not ended with courtroom verdicts or dismissals. They have launched careers, ended others, and now potentially will shape congressional races.
The voters of Virginia’s 7th District will ultimately decide whether Cooney’s prosecutorial past makes him qualified for legislative duty or whether it disqualifies him as too partisan for public service. That is democracy at work, messy and complicated as it may be.
What remains certain is that this race will be watched closely, not just in Virginia but across the nation, as yet another test of how Trump-era battles continue to define our politics.
Related: Trump Threatens Primary Challenges for Republicans Who Opposed His Tariff Policy
