Tara Durant

Tara Anne Durant (born October 26, 1972)^[1] is an American politician and former educator serving as a member of the Virginia Senate for the 27th district since 2024. The district includes the entirety of Fredericksburg, along with portions of Spotsylvania and Stafford counties. A member of the Republican Party, she served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates from 2022 to 2024. On June 18, 2025, Durant declared her candidacy for Congress in Virginia's 7th congressional district to challenge Democratic incumbent Eugene Vindman in 2026.^[2]

Tara Durant
Member of the Virginia Senate from the 27th district
Incumbent
Assumed office January 10, 2024
Preceded by	Constituency established
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the 28th district
In office January 12, 2022 – January 10, 2024
Preceded by	Joshua Cole
Succeeded by	Joshua Cole (redistricted)
Personal details
Born	(1972-10-26) October 26, 1972 (age 52) Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Children	3
Education	Coe College (BA) University of Baltimore

Early life and education

Durant was born in Des Moines, Iowa in 1972. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and political science from Coe College and attended the University of Baltimore School of Law.^[3]

Career

Outside of politics, Durant has worked as an educator in Iowa and Virginia. She was a teacher at the Holy Cross Academy in Stafford County from 2017 to 2021 and works as a librarian at the school.^[4] She was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in November 2021, defeating incumbent Democrat Joshua G. Cole.^[5] She assumed office on January 12, 2022.^[6]

Tara currently serves on the Senate Committees on Education & Health, Local Government, and Privileges & Elections; as well as the Behavioral Health Commission, Rappahannock River Basin Commission, Autism Advisory Council, Veterans Services Board, and Southern Regional Education Board.^[2]