Virginia’s two main political parties are vying for control of the state government this year. But before then, both will elect new party chairs.

Rich Anderson is headed to Washington. The former Delegate turned now-former Chair of the Republican Party of Virginia was nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as Assistant Secretary of the Air Force. He faces Senate confirmation in the coming weeks.

"I am grateful to the President for his trust and confidence," Anderson said in a statement released Tuesday announcing his nomination. Anderson served in the Air Force for 30 years with the final eight at the Pentagon.

And the Democratic Party of Virginia is saying goodbye to Susan Swecker. After a decade— and flipping the state House and Senate blue along the way— she’s opening the door to a new generation.

“I’m not going away, I’m just going to participate in a different way," Swecker said Wednesday in an interview with Radio IQ. "Someone with fresh ideas, they can build on what I built with this team."

That means both parties are entering the 2025 election cycle with new leadership.

“He stays out in front of the grassroots, makes sure to hear their concerns, hears what’s going right, what’s going wrong, communicating that to leadership in Richmond,” Virginia GOP Executive Director Ken Nunnenkamp told Radio IQ, describing Anderson’s— and the next VA GOP party chair’s— likely day-to-day duties.

Anderson is unable to comment while he is preparing for senate confirmation hearings. But Nunnenkamp is confident whoever the party’s central committee picks as the new chair at their April meeting will have support from across the state.

“Rich is the leaders’ leader, but we have a fantastic group of people that are responsible for leading the charge all over the commonwealth,” he said.

Swecker, meanwhile, said both she and Anderson were tasked with speaking with the media and public and hyping up their respective party bases amid other duties.

“You have to be nimble… work with other members of steering and central committees to elect [candidates]," Swecker said. “Fundraising is a much bigger piece for this than it used to be… but I believe we’ve created an environment that shows we know how to run a professional organization which gives donors confidence.”

And fundraising is expected to be big in this year's races. With all 100 House of Delegates seats and the Governor, Lt. Governor and Attorney General's offices on the line, University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth said both parties want to make an example out of Virginia ahead of 2026.

"The reality is Virginia always has an outsized national profile because we’re the first real leading political indicator for the congressional midterms to come," he said.

But Swecker said she’s worked hard to leave her successor with a party that will hit the ground running this election season.

“I want to hand over as good a Democratic party as I can,” she said.

The outgoing leader had some advice for whoever carries the gavel for either party.

“Be open and honest, and to also not be afraid to ask for help, let people know what you don’t know,” she said.

Democrats will choose their replacement at their central committee meeting later this month.

This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio , was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association .