Spotsylvania County

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 Phillip Scott faces a challenge from Democrat Forrest Miller in HD-63.

Virginia’s House District 63 covers parts of Spotsylvania County and Orange County in Virginia’s Piedmont region. In the 2024 election it remained a strong Republican district by comfortable double-digit margins.

Democrat Forrest Miller is a U.S. Army veteran who was born and raised in Alabama. Miller is a Bronze Star Medal recipient. He graduated from the Warrant Officer Candidate School in 2009. He holds a Master’s degree in Network and Communication Management, as an Associate of Applied Science in Network Administration. He previously worked at the White House Communications Agency. Miller lives in Spotsylvania County with his wife and two children. He has stated, “In full transparency until recently, I would have told you that I was a moderate Republican.”

Constitutional Amendments
Forrest Miller will support HJ 9, which would repeal the Commonwealth’s defunct same-sex marriage ban and guarantee marriage equality for LGBTQ+ Virginians.
While he has stated broad support for “current amendments to the Virginia Constitution and those to be added,” as of this writing, were unable to find Miller’s explicit support for HJ 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Virginia Constitution or HJ 2, which would automatically restore voting rights to people upon release from incarceration.

Education
Forrest Miller pledges to improve schools by focusing on infrastructure. He advocates for expanded job training for teachers and raising teacher pay.

Economy and Inflation
Miller supports investing in roads, helping to develop solutions for traffic congestion points, and assisting in planning for expected growth.

Health and Human Services
Miller wants to promote access to care and ensure healthcare workers and first responders have access to equipment and training.

Other Issues
He wants to create opportunities for veterans and ensure they have access to needed services. Additionally, he pledges to ensure the families of veterans are always supported.

The Opposition

Incumbent Republican Phillip Scott was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2021. He attended Word of Life Bible Institute and Liberty University and holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies, a Master’s degree in Management and Leadership, and a Juris Master’s. Delegate Scott is currently working on a Ph.D. in Public Policy, specializing in National Security. He leads a team of background investigators for a government contractor. He and his wife have five daughters.

Delegate Scott does not support the constitutional amendments for abortion rights, voting rights restoration to returning citizens, or marriage equality. He voted against raising teacher pay, increasing the minimum wage, and establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. He also voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board and gun violence prevention bills.

Recommendation

While we found limited information on Forrest Miller's priorities and stances, his support for abortion access and raising teacher pay show that he is the more progressive candidate in this race.

Virginia’s new 65th House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Stafford County, Fredericksburg City, and parts of Spotsylvania County. With over 62,000 registered voters, this is a competitive district.

This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Democratic Delegate Joshua Cole faces a challenge from Republican Sean Steinway in HD-65.

Virginia’s House District 65 covers portions of Stafford County, the City of Fredericksburg, and Spotsylvania County in Virginia’s Piedmont region. In the 2024 election Democratic presidential and senatorial nominees carryied the district by about ten points each.

Incumbent Democratic Delegate Joshua Cole was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2019, becoming the youngest person and first Black person elected from the Fredericksburg region to the General Assembly. After his first term, he was unseated by former Republican Delegate Tara Durant by less than 1,000 votes. Delegate Cole successfully ran again in 2023. He is a local pastor. He and his wife have two children.
Committee Assignments: General Laws, Health and Human Services, Privileges and Elections (Constitutional Amendments Subcommittee Chair)

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

Education
- Co-patroned a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Voted to increase protections and support for cyberbullying
- Voted to authorize public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted to require schools to create transgender-student friendly policies

Economy and Inflation
- Co-patroned a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Co-patroned a bill to establish paid family and medical leave
- Co-patroned a bill to establish regulatory bodies for the cannabis industry in Virginia
- Voted to prohibit landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted to establish frameworks to preserve affordable local housing
- Voted to establish the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act

Health and Human Services
- Voted to establish a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted to establish the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted to require health insurance plans to cover birth control

Other Issues
- Co-patroned a bill to establish regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Co-patroned a bill to authorize Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Sponsored a bill to prohibit the use of campaign funds for personal expenses

The Opposition

Republican Sean Steinway is a Marine Corps veteran and former Officer Candidate School instructor. After joining the Marines, he worked undercover at the Fairfax County Police Department. Later, he was a contractor with the Drug Enforcement Administration where he served as a weapons specialist for the Foreign-Deployed Advisory and Support Teams. Steinway was a lead instructor at the DEA Academy in Quantico. After his service with the DEA, he joined the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office. He is a small business owner. He is a father of five. He and his wife live in White Oak.  

Sean Steinway supports teacher pay raises and fully funding public schools. He advocates for increase safety measures at schools and expanded parental choice. He opposes equity initiatives in the classroom and in sports.

Steinway will fight any attempts to increase income tax and will work to end the car tax. Steinway lists his first priority as keeping Virginia safe. He pledges to fight against efforts to defund the police and will collaborate with federal law enforcement in their bid to target immigrants.

Recommendation

Based on his track record for introducing and supporting progressive legislation, Delegate Joshua Cole is the progressive candidate in this race.

Virginia’s new 66th House of Delegates district encompasses parts of Spotsylvania County and parts of Caroline County. With almost 64,000 registered voters, this district leans Republican.

This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Bobby Orrock faces a challenge from Democrat Nicole Cole in HD-66.

Virginia’s House District 66 covers portions of Caroline County and Spotsylvania County in Virginia’s Piedmont region. In the 2024 election it was closely split between Republicans and Democrats, with the GOP presidential nominee and Democratic senate nominee prevailing in their respective races by very narrow margins.

Nicole Tarlton Cole was born in Hampton and raised in Highland Springs. A graduate of Henrico County public schools, Cole holds an M.B.A. in Finance and Health Services Management from Northwestern University. Since 2021, she has served on the Spotsylvania County Public School Board. She founded a nonprofit focused on education and education advocacy. She previously served on the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors’ Citizens Budget Review Committee. She is an entrepreneur and mother of three. 

Constitutional Amendment
She supports enshrining the right to reproductive freedom in Virginia’s Constitution.

Education
Nicole Cole supports increasing educational opportunities for all students. She emphasizes the need to keep graduates in the community. She prioritizes fair wages and meaningful work for graduates.

Economy and Inflation
Cole wants support for long-term investments for Spotsylvania and Caroline counties through state resources. She prioritizes economic growth that benefits farmers, families, and small business owners. She advocates for affordable housing and job creation.

Health and Human Services
Cole pushes for water quality, conservation, energy efficiency, and land preservation. She acknowledges gun violence as a public health and safety issue.

The Opposition

Incumbent Republican Delegate Bobby Orrock was first elected to the House of Delegates in 1990. Orrock does not support access to abortion and voted against the Equal Rights Amendment. He was a staunch opponent of Medicaid expansion in Virginia. Additionally, he voted against raising the minimum wage and removing the minimum wage exemption for farmworkers, the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, and ending the death penalty. He voted against a bill to establish Gun Free Zones in Capitol Square and public institutions of higher education and prioritizes protecting 2nd Amendment rights.

Delegate Orrock believes transgender women should not compete in women’s sports. He voted against establishing paid family and medical leave and repealing prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees.

He voted against the proposed Constitutional Amendment to enshrine abortion rights in Virginia’s Constitution and the Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens. He refused to vote on a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution in order to avoid going on the record.

Recommendation

While we were able to find limited information on Nicole Cole's priorities and stances, Delegate Orrock's voting record shows that he consistently votes against progressive legislation. Based on her support for abortion access, affordable housing, and gun violence prevention, Nicole Cole is the progressive candidate in this race.