By james art 
ARLINGTON, Va. — Speaker Mike Johnson will campaign in two critical House districts in the Old Dominion, exclusively telling The Post that “the road to keeping and increasing our majority runs directly through Virginia, where we have two veterans, that will win and deliver for Commonwealth families’.
The speaker will host events for Republicans Derrick Anderson, who is running for an open seat, and freshman Rep. Jen Keegans — and bring some special guests.
“Congressman Keegans is an advocate for veterans, our troops and military families, and he is working across the board to fight for Virginia’s 2nd District. Green Beret Derrick Anderson has served our country and will be a strong voice for Virginia’s 7th District to secure our border, fix our economy and restore peace through force,” Johnson told The Post.
“After campaigning in more than 250 cities in 40 states, I look forward to getting out the vote across Virginia on the eve of the most important election of our lifetimes.”
Former President Donald Trump opened his rally in Salem, Va., Saturday night by boldly saying, “I’m here today in this incredible community for one very simple reason — because I believe we can win Virginia.”
A Republican hasn’t won an electoral vote in Virginia in 20 years, but the 2021 wins in statewide offices show the party has made real gains.
In Spotsylvania, Johnson will rally for Anderson with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, among other speakers.
Anderson is running against Democrat Eugene Windman, who gained national attention in 2019 as a whistleblower in the first impeachment attempt against Trump, which was sparked by the Ukrainian-born candidate’s reporting of a phone call between the former president and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. His twin brother, Alexander, testified before Congress on the matter.
The race is seen as one of Republicans’ best chances to flip seats to keep their slim majority in the House of Representatives. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger is not running for re-election, choosing instead to run for governor of Virginia in 2025.
Despite his national recognition, Vindman campaigned under the radar, participating in only one debate and mostly avoiding the media.
He finally sat down with WUSA TV on Friday, giving only seven minutes of the 15 requested; Anderson sat down full-time weeks ago.
And it became clear why he avoided the press: Windman repeated talking points word for word and did not directly answer questions about his military record, which Anderson and others say is embellished.
The Cook Political Report rates the race as a toss-up, moving it from a weak Democrat in August.
In Virginia Beach, Johnson and Youngkin will rally for Keegans with Lt. Gov. Winsom Earle-Sears and Attorney General Jason Miares.
Keegans brought the seat back into Republican hands in 2022 when he defeated two-term Democrat Elaine Luria. Republican Scott Taylor previously represented the military and veterans district.
The Republican president enters this year’s election race in a decent position, having kept both hardcore conservatives and more moderate voters happy in her first political term.
A Christopher Newport University poll in September showed Keegans leading Democrat Missy Cotter Smasal by 5 points.
But Democrats are targeting the seat by any means possible, with an AP report revealing that the “independent” candidate in the race — Robert Reid — was able to gain access to the ballot with the help of a pro-Democrat group.