Salaam Bhatti

Public-interest lawyer in Short Pump, VA

Salaam Bhatti is a candidate for Representative in Congress District 5 in Congressional District 5, Virginia — 2026 Primary Election.

Also running: John Mcguire, Melanie Lucero, Suzanne Krzyzanowski, Tom Perriello, Robert Tracinski.

Salaam Bhatti, a public-interest lawyer, husband, and father, is a Democratic candidate for Congress representing Virginia’s 1st Congressional District in the 2026 primary. A child of immigrants who experienced poverty and benefited from programs like WIC and free school meals, he advocates for working families. Bhatti helped develop a nationwide SNAP screening tool, aiding millions. His platform emphasizes Medicare for all, taxing billionaires, and removing big money from politics, aiming for practical, people-first solutions. He focuses on structural reform and a politics rooted in kindness and empathy.