Olivia Troye, a former adviser to Vice President Mike Pence, announced her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat, marking a significant party switch for the longtime Republican operative.

Troye served as a homeland security and counterterrorism adviser to Pence during the Trump administration before departing the White House in 2020. Following her exit, she became a public critic of former President Donald Trump.

The former administration official is seeking to represent a Virginia congressional district, joining what sources describe as a crowded Democratic primary field. The specific district boundaries have not yet been finalized.

Troye's candidacy represents a notable political transformation, as she spent the majority of her Washington career working within Republican circles before her recent party affiliation change. Her decision to run as a Democrat follows her public break with Trump and the Republican Party after leaving the administration.

The congressional race will test whether Troye's background as a former Republican official and Trump critic resonates with Democratic primary voters in Virginia. Her campaign comes as several former Trump administration officials have distanced themselves from the former president and, in some cases, the Republican Party.