City of Lynchburg

This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Republican incumbent Lt. Governor Winsome Earle-Sears and former Democratic US Representative Abigail Spanberger will face each other in the general election for Governor of Virginia.

The Democratic nominee for Governor, Abigail Spanberger actually fights to expand healthcare and reproductive freedom instead of rolling over when conservatives threaten to restrict abortion rights. She’s committed to investing in clean energy, holding polluters accountable, and reducing energy costs for working families. Her gun-safety agenda goes far beyond “thoughts and prayers,” taking on the NRA head-on instead of cashing their donation checks. Spanberger’s pragmatic progressive vision gives suburban moderates and left-leaners tired of corporate centrism and culture-war theatrics a real reason to show up.

The Opposition

The Republican nominee for Governor, Winsome Earle-Sears is all about slashing taxes for big corporations while telling unemployed workers that losing a job is “no big deal.” She grandstands against critical race theory and “woke” classrooms to score culture-war points instead of tackling real education challenges. By waving her Marine Corps credentials, she sells herself as the ultimate tough-on-crime candidate, conveniently ignoring how lax gun laws endanger communities. Her true believers are MAGA zealots who think banning books, rolling back reproductive freedoms, and erasing civil liberties are more important than looking out for working families.

Recommendation

Due to her advocacy for abortion access, gun violence prevention, and clean energy, Abigail Spanberger is the progressive candidate in this race.

This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Democratic Virginia State Senator Ghazala Hashmi and Republican John Reid will face each other in the general election for Lt. Governor of Virginia.

The Democratic nominee for Lt. Governor, Ghazala Hashmi is fighting to pump real money into public schools instead of the right’s perennial budget cuts and culture-war book bans. She defends reproductive freedom and Medicaid expansion for working families while conservatives keep dialing back healthcare access and waving anti-abortion placards. Her clean-energy agenda and environmental-justice bills actually target polluters, not the customary GOP handouts to pipeline lobbyists. Dreamers, suburban progressives fed up with partisan hijinks, and anyone who’d trade culture-war theatrics for equity and opportunity will cheer her unapologetic stand for Virginia’s working families.

The Opposition

The Republican nominee for Lt. Governor, John Reid is a self-styled small-government crusader who’ll happily cut taxes for wealthy donors while pretending he’s doing the same for working Virginians. He rails against “woke” curriculum and critical race theory, because apparently teaching actual American history is more offensive to him than runaway inequality. He touts law-and-order credentials and celebrity as a conservative radio host, hawking gun rights like they’re the ultimate public-safety strategy. He even plans to torpedo constitutional protections for same-sex marriage, proving that an openly gay candidate will stab his own community in the back for party unity, the perfect pick for culture-war diehards who prefer corporate giveaways to real solutions for working families.

Recommendation

Due to her advocacy for public education, abortion access, and environmental justice, Ghazala Hashmi is the progressive candidate in this race.

This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares faces a challenge from former Democratic Virginia State Delegate Jay Jones.

The Democratic nominee for Attorney General, Jay Jones has pledged to sue the Trump administration every time it infringes on the rights of Virginians. He’s secured victories for abortion access, expanded Medicaid to cover thousands more Virginians, and even wrote anti-price-gouging measures to keep corporate vultures in check. His public-safety plan pairs smart gun-violence prevention and community-based crime interventions rather than recycling the right’s tired “lock ’em up” mantra for political ads. Grassroots progressives, consumer-rights advocates, and anyone sick of endless culture-war stunts will line up behind a candidate who actually puts families over fear-mongering theatrics.

The Opposition

Incumbent Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares cozies up to ICE, shaming local authorities who don’t cooperate with Trump’s policies of mass deportation, because terrorizing immigrant families is apparently his idea of due process. He grandstands on opioid crackdowns but turns a blind eye to corporate-friendly loopholes that keep the drug pipeline flowing. He bills himself as a federalism champion when suing Washington over environmental rules, conveniently ignoring states’ rights whenever big donors flash a check. His true believers are tough-on-crime zealots who think more ICE raids, harsher sentencing, and tax cuts for the wealthy are the pinnacle of compassionate governance.

Recommendation

Due to his advocacy for abortion access, gun violence prevention, and Medicaid coverage, Jay Jones is the progressive candidate in this race.

This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Eric Zehr faces a challenge from Democrat Joy Powers in HD-51.

Virginia’s House District 51 spans portions of Campbell, Bedford, and Pittsylvania counties. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by double-digit margins.

Democrat Joy Powers is a small business owner. She has been an active member of many organizations including Virginia FFA, Virginia 4-H, Chamblissburg Ruritans, Virginia Simmental Association and the Virginia Farm Bureau. An advocate of sustainable agriculture, she founded Restore the Harvest, providing education and resources worldwide. Powers served as the Superintendent of the Bedford County Fair and also served on the Bedford County Agricultural Economic Development Advisory Board. She lives on a farm in Bedford with her family, including her son, who she adopted through foster care.

Education
Joy Powers supports fully funding public education and raising teacher pay. She advocates for expanding vocational & workforce training. She has criticized Trump’s cuts to the Department of Education.

Economy and Inflation
Powers fights for additional funding to fix roads and bridges. She defends farmland and property rights and wants to make it easier for businesses, including farms and agribusiness, to thrive. She advocates for expanding access to rural broadband.

Health and Human Services
Powers supports fair funding and better access to quality healthcare.

Other Issues
Powers supports “responsible gun ownership” and opposes “overreaching gun bans”. She pledges to invest in law enforcement and first responders.

The Opposition

Incumbent Republican Delegate Eric Zehr was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2023. He previously served on the Campbell County Board of Supervisors from 2013 to 2017. Delegate Zehr also chaired a local Republican Party, as well as a House District Republican Committee. Key legislation:

- Constitutional Amendments
- Voted against a bill to enshrine abortion rights in the Virginia Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against enshrining equal marriage rights in the Virginia Constitution

- Education
- Voted against a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property

- Economy and Inflation
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against paid family and medical leave
- Voted against a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing

- Health and Human Services
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control

- Other Issues
- Voted against establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live

Recommendation

Based on her support for fully funding public education and quality affordable healthcare, Joy Powers is the progressive candidate in this race.

This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Wendell Walker faces a challenge from Democrat Risë Hayes in HD-52.

Virginia’s House District 52 covers the city of Lynchburg and a small sliver of Campbell County in Southside Virginia. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by single‐digit margins.

Democrat Risë Hayes grew up in California and has lived in Virginia for the past ten years. She grew up in extreme poverty and spent some of her childhood living in a tent. Hayes holds a B.S. of Natural Science and Government from Liberty University. 

Constitutional Amendments
Risë Hayes will support HJ 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Virginia Constitution.

Education
Risë Hayes believes that every child deserves access to a high-quality education and pledges to fight for increased school funding, support for teachers, and policies that promote equity and inclusion in the classroom. Hayes supports investing in early education, modernizing facilities, and expanding access to vocational training and higher education.

Economy and Inflation
Hayes vows to hold landlords accountable for safe and affordable housing, address skyrocketing housing prices, increasing costs of groceries, healthcare, and transportation. 

Hayes is dedicated to protecting and expanding workers' rights and believes every worker deserves fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to organize without fear of retaliation.

Health and Human Services
Hayes called out vaccine denialism and disinformation on social media and opposed the “Big Beautiful Bill” for impacting Medicaid in her district.

The Opposition

Incumbent Republican Delegate Wendell Walker has served in the House of Delegates since 2020. He attended Liberty Baptist College and toured with Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr. He has held several positions in various Republican committees. He and his wife have two children and two grandchildren.

Constitutional Amendments
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine abortion rights in Virginia’s Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution

Education
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students

Economy and Inflation
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against a bill to establish paid family and medical leave
- Voted against a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing

Health and Human Services
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against paid family and medical leave
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control

Other Issues
- Voted against establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against authorizing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live

Recommendation

Based on her support for quality public education, affordable housing, and workers' rights, Risë Hayes is the progressive candidate in this race.

This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Tim Griffin faces a challenge from Democrat Sam Soghor in HD-53.

Virginia’s House District 53 covers Amherst County and portions of Bedford and Nelson counties. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by double-digit margins.

Democrat Sam Soghor moved to Amherst, VA from New York, where he worked as an actor and producer. He attended the State University of New York at Purchase, where he received a B.A. in political science. Soghor co-hosts a weekly radio show, Amherst Town Talk, alongside a Republican town council candidate. He is the parent of an Amherst County Public Schools student, as well as an active member of the PTO and a volunteer with the school. He is also a special education instructional assistant.

Soghor prioritizes public education funding, broadband accessibility, and support for farmers. Soghor supports marijuana legalization and wants to ensure the district receives all the benefits from legalization, including increased tax revenue for public spending and economic opportunities for local farmers and entrepreneurs. Additionally, he recognizes how marijuana legalization can support the creation of new businesses and result in higher wages, stronger economic systems, and increased home values.

Soghor favors increasing environmental protections in the area and uplifting local farmers. He wants to make sustainable farming practices accessible and affordable for district farmers.

The Opposition

Incumbent Republican Tim Griffin was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2023. He is a graduate of Liberty University and Appalachian School of Law. Delegate Griffin previously served as an Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney. He has also served as a constitutional and election law attorney. Delegate Griffin lives in Forest and has two daughters. Key legislation:

Constitutional Amendments
- Voted against a bill to enshrine abortion rights in the Virginia Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against enshrining equal marriage rights in the Virginia Constitution

Education
- Voted against a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property

Economy and Inflation
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against a bill to establish paid family and medical leave
- Voted against a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing

Health and Human Services
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against paid family and medical leave
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control

Other Issues
- Voted against establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against authorizing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live

Recommendation

Based on his support for quality public education, environmental protections, and marijuana legalization, Sam Soghor is the progressive candidate in this race.