(The Center Square) – Virginia’s House of Delegates elections are taking shape, with both parties gearing up for competitive primaries in key districts ahead of the June 17 vote.
The 100-member House serves as the lower chamber of Virginia’s General Assembly, with each delegate representing about 86,000 residents. Members serve two-year terms and help craft state laws, shape the budget, and weigh in on issues ranging from education and health care to taxes and public safety.
All 100 seats are up for election this year. Democrats currently hold a slim 51-49 majority after retaking control of the chamber in 2023, a shift that followed Republican victories in 2021.
Both parties are working to defend or flip competitive districts ahead of November’s general election.
According to the Democratic Party of Virginia, candidates have filed to run in all 100 districts. Democratic primaries are set in at least nine races where more than one candidate has qualified for the ballot. On the Republican side, primary contests are scheduled for at least 10 districts, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
Only one GOP incumbent — Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt — faces a primary challenger this cycle. On the Democratic side, at least two incumbents are being challenged from within their party: Del. Patrick Hope, D-Arlington, faces Arjoon Srikanth and Sean Epstein in District 1, while Del. Delores McQuinn, D-Richmond, faces Alicia Atkins in District 81.
Democrats have launched a push into Republican-leaning areas, with candidates running in 43 GOP-leaning districts, according to the Virginia Mercury. Republicans are fielding candidates in 66 districts and are challenging Democratic incumbents in 15.
This year’s contests include several veterans, educators and local officials. Among the Democratic field of 114 candidates, 58 are women and at least seven are veterans. Republicans are running 76 candidates across 66 districts, with five female incumbents and 17 women overall running for the House in 2025. The push for representation comes as Virginia appears poised to elect its first female governor this year, with both major parties fielding prominent women as leading contenders for the commonwealth’s top office.
Campaign finance reports show early fundraising strength among Democratic incumbents.
House Speaker Don Scott has raised more than $2 million this cycle, followed by Del. Luke Torian, D-Prince William, with over $650,000 and Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, with more than $519,000, according to the Virginia Public Access Project. Overall, Democrats have brought in about $8.5 million compared to roughly $5.2 million for Republican candidates.
Just four independents have filed to run for House seats this year. They include Trudy Berry, a former Democratic candidate running as an independent in District 50; Dave Crance in District 13; Shelly Arnoldi in District 15; and Maynard L Keller, Jr. in District 38.
