A record of service

Hi I'm Elizabeth Dempsey Beggs

I'm running for the US House of Representatives in Virginia's First Congressional District.

A mother, a firefighter’s wife, a veteran, and an advocate. But above all—someone who has never chosen the easy path.

From the outside, the easy path might have made more sense: a high-paying corporate job, four young children at home, and a life already full of joyful chaos. But every meaningful turning point in my life has come from choosing the path that asked more of me—the one that required service, grit, and heart.

At 17, that path led me to the U.S. Army. I raised my hand and took an oath to the Constitution. I became a Tank Commander—one of the first women to serve in that combat arms role—not because it was easy, but because it was right. Because when something matters, you don’t stand on the sidelines.

And when the uniform came off, service didn’t.

I became a foster parent and an advocate for kids who deserved safety, stability, and love. I thrived in corporate leadership but knew service was on my heart. I learned quickly that doing the right thing is rarely convenient. Sometimes it means waking up in the middle of the night with a child who has never felt safe. Sometimes it means fighting systems that weren’t built with working families in mind. But you do it anyway—because it matters.

People often ask why I chose to run for Congress now, at 29, with four children five and under. The truth is simple: how could I not?

Because our children deserve better—mine and yours.
Because our veterans deserve real support, not slogans.
Because families deserve leaders who understand sacrifice.
Because communities deserve someone who will fight for them even when it’s hard—especially when it’s hard.

The day after I filed to run, a package arrived from my mom—sent before she even knew. Inside were quilts she made for children in foster care, old photos, and a letter I wrote to the local newspaper when I was seven. In that letter, I told them they needed to publish more about the resources in our community, because people wanted to help but didn’t know where to turn.

At seven years old, I wasn’t asking for the easy path either. I was asking for the right one.

And that’s still who I am.

I’m running for Congress because service never stops—and because doing the right thing is worth the fight every single time.