Republican congressional candidate Tony Sabio is calling on the Virginia Department of Elections to investigate a ballot-style image posted by Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell that incorrectly identified him as "Tony A. Mizusawa" in the 8th Congressional District race.
Surovell, a Democrat, shared the image on X with the message, "My ballot is in the Mail! Make sure you vote as soon as you can!" He has since deleted the post. The image displayed a U.S. Senate race between Democratic Sen. Mark Warner and Republican Bert Mizusawa, with the subsequent congressional race listing the incorrect Republican candidate name.
Sabio told the Washington Examiner: "At first, I thought this has to be a joke."
Sabio submitted a formal request to the Virginia Department of Elections asking whether the image is an official ballot, an unofficial sample ballot, an altered artificial intelligence image, or another document. He also questioned Surovell's intent: "Is this really a slip-up, or are you trying to change my name so no one could find me?"
Sabio noted the distinctiveness of his surname: "Sabio is a very unique name, and to cloud that, I think he's doing something nefarious there." He raised concerns about whether artificial intelligence was used to generate the image and what that means for election integrity.
Katie Gorka, chairwoman of the Fairfax County Republican Party, backed the investigation. She told the Washington Examiner: "I can't know somebody's intentions, but it does seem to me hard to make that mistake."
Gorka described the rigor her party applies to election materials: "I have learned how serious election integrity and obeying election laws is and so, first of all, we don't let anything out the door without, like, at least three checks." She added: "This just feels like too big an error. People need to be held accountable. Elections are deadly serious. Election integrity is incredibly serious."
Virginia law requires that unofficial sample ballots published online display the words "sample ballot" in at least 24-point type on their face and cannot be printed on white pa. Official sample ballots are provided by electoral boards or general registrars and posted for public inspection at polling places.
Sabio said: "I believe in the system to do the right thing. I believe also that it's through the power of the people to hold him responsible to make a determination. That determination needs to be clear, and it needs to be concise. It should not be blown under the rug."
Sabio, a former Navy service member and national-security professional, is challenging incumbent Rep. Don Beyer, a Democrat, in the Nov. 3 general election. Early voting is underway in Virginia.
