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Longtime Newport News treasurer files as an Independent
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) — Longtime Newport News Treasurer Marty Eubank will seek re-election as an independent.
Eubank filed paperwork and qualified with the Department of Voter Registration in May.
For nearly three decades, Eubank has served as the Newport News treasurer. In March 2025, Eubank shared exclusively with WAVY-TV 10 that he would not seek re-election.
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'I did not have a change of heart. I have worked for the city for 41 years. I've been the longest-serving treasurer of 28 years for Newport News. I'm very proud of that. I very much looked forward to retiring this year,' he said. 'I did everything I could to position myself to run in this campaign for one more term. But after I met Sanu Dieng-Cooper, I talked to her and realized what a perfect candidate she would be to be my successor, which is something I've been looking for the past few years! She impressed me with her ideas, her vision, her knowledge of the office already, and her understanding of what it does. I realized she'd be the perfect candidate to win the Democratic primary. That's when I decided to bow out of the primary. I fully support Sanu. I 100% still endorse being the next Treasurer of Newport News. I'm confident that the voters will see how qualified she is. They will support and vote for her on June 17.'
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The Newport News Department of Voter Registration confirms that Sanu Dieng-Cooper and Derek Reason are the Democratic candidates for the June primary. There are no Republican candidates. Justin Kennedy, an independent candidate for treasurer, will appear on the November 4th ballot.
Eubank told 10 On Your Side he filed as an independent following the 2025 NAACP Newport News Candidate Forum on April 30.
'I am confident she [Sanu] will win the Primary. But you can't predict an election, and that 1% off chance that Sanu might not win. Then I position myself to come back into the general election,' said Eubank. 'After watching the NAACP forum and listening to both sides, I was in the audience. I became concerned that Sanu Cooper has to be elected as our next treasurer. She has to!'
Eubank also received a Freedom of Information (FOIA) request regarding the legitimacy of one of the candidates' businesses. WAVY-TV 10 received an independent copy of the FOIA from the Newport News Office of the Commissioner of the Revenue, which states the business in question 'does not hold a City of Newport News business license, as such a license is not required for the type of activity this business performs. The USDOT number associated with this business is currently listed as inactive in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) database. The business's status with the Virginia State Corporation Commission (SCC) is also listed as inactive per SCC records.'
asked Eubank about 'integrity' following the recent filing.
'I'm doing it for the right reason, not the wrong reason. I'm not going back on my word. I still fully support Sanu. I fully expect her to win. She has my 100% endorsement. Come June 17, I will be by her side celebrating. But I am trying only to position myself [just] in case. Elections can be unpredictable in the event that 1% off the chance the Sanu is not elected. I will be here to protect this office,' said Eubank.
Eubank urges residents to watch the candidate interviews and forum to 'judge for yourself.'
'I have always been a Democrat. I will always be a Democrat. I view myself at this point as an Independent-Democrat, but I'm doing what I have to do. I'm doing this for the right reasons. For the citizens of Newport News,' he said.
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