(The Center Square) – Spending on foreign conflicts, abortion pills sent through the mail, and establishing a federal holiday to vote are among the priorities three Virginia congressional candidates running outside the two major parties shared with The Center Square.

Affordability, federal spending, healthcare and data center development are also high on their collective list.

Libertarian Taner Lopez and independent Joshua Ertle are running in Virginia’s 7th Congressional District against Democratic Rep. Eugene Vindman, Republican Doug Ollivant and independents Alaha Ahrar and Randall Terry.

Independent Cooke Harvey is running in the 5th District against Republican Rep. John McGuire and Democrat Tom Perriello.

Lopez identified reducing spending on foreign conflicts, addressing delays in veterans’ healthcare and protecting families and farms among his priorities.

“I will work with anyone, regardless of political party, who is willing to put the American people first,” Lopez said.

On affordability, he pointed to rising housing, grocery, electricity healthcare and transportation costs. He called for reducing federal spending, simplifying the tax system and increasing competition and price transparency in healthcare.

Lopez proposed a Data Center Community Consent Act requiring approval from two-thirds of directly affected property owners before major developments could proceed.

“Data center developers should pay for the energy and infrastructure their projects require, not Virginia families and taxpayers,” Lopez said.

He said developers should cover power grid upgrades, roads and environmental and community impact studies.

Ertle identified enforcing the Comstock Act against abortion pills sent through the mail, addressing traffic congestion along Interstate 95 between exits 126 and 130, and improving services at the Fredericksburg Veterans Affairs clinic among his priorities.

He pointed to inflation, housing costs and rising electricity bills as affordability concerns.

Ertle proposed a balanced budget amendment and annual 1% reductions in discretionary federal spending until the budget balances. He also supported expanding natural gas and nuclear power generation.

On data centers, Ertle called for federal requirements that utilities publicly disclose infrastructure costs associated with serving data centers.

“If Amazon or Microsoft needs a massive substation, new transmission lines, or millions of gallons of water, they need to write the check,” Ertle said.

He also supported work or volunteer requirements for able-bodied adults without children receiving Medicaid.

Harvey identified establishing a “National Voting Day” as a federal holiday and reducing the federal deficit among his priorities.

He proposed cutting deficit spending by at least half through spending reductions and greater enforcement of tax laws involving deductions and profits shifted overseas.

He identified healthcare costs as a major affordability challenge and called for basic health coverage from pregnancy through end-of-life care, including mental health services.

Asked about data center development, Harvey emphasized local control over public infrastructure.

“The people of the 5th District should have direct control on where necessary public infrastructure is erected,” Harvey said.

Harvey opposed public subsidies for private infrastructure. Separately, he said that whenever public money is spent, the public should be compensated “in perpetuity.”

Harvey also proposed changing farm subsidies to encourage regenerative farming practices and a more nutritious food supply.

Early in-person voting in Virginia ends Saturday. Election Day is Nov. 3.