This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Democratic Delegate Betsy Carr faces a challenge from Republican Rich Prado in HD-78.
Virginia's House District 78 is wholly located within the City of Richmond. In the 2024 election it remained strongly Democratic by double-digit margins.
Virginia's House District 78 is wholly located within the City of Richmond. In the 2024 election it remained strongly Democratic by double-digit margins.
Betsy B. Carr is a longtime Democratic Delegate serving Virginia’s 78th District since 2024 (previously District 69). A Hollins College alumna and Richmond civic leader, she helped found the Micah Initiative and served on the Richmond School Board before joining the General Assembly. As Minority Caucus Treasurer, she sits on major committees—including Appropriations and Rules—and champions education, housing, and community outreach.
Committee Assignments: Appropriations (Higher Education Subcommittee Chair), General Laws (Vice Chair; Procurement/Open Government Subcommittee Chair), Rules, Transportation (Transportation Infrastructure and Funding Subcommittee Chair)
Delegate Carr co-sponsored Constitutional Amendments to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Co-patroned a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Co-sponsored a bill to authorize public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- 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
- Voted to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted to establish a regulated and taxed cannabis industry in Virginia
- Voted to establish frameworks to preserve local housing
- Voted to establish the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- 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
- Co-sponsored a bill to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and possession of assault-style weapons
- Voted to establish regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted to authorize Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted to prohibit the use of campaign funds for personal expenses
Prado advocates for parental control in education. He does not specify, but implies he favors spending taxpayer money on private education.
Prado specifically mentions the Richmond water crisis of 2025 as a failure of infrastructure he wants to target and questions Virginia’s gas and electric systems. He advocates for reduced taxation and regulations, but does not specify which ones.
Committee Assignments: Appropriations (Higher Education Subcommittee Chair), General Laws (Vice Chair; Procurement/Open Government Subcommittee Chair), Rules, Transportation (Transportation Infrastructure and Funding Subcommittee Chair)
Delegate Carr co-sponsored Constitutional Amendments to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Co-patroned a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Co-sponsored a bill to authorize public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- 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
- Voted to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted to establish a regulated and taxed cannabis industry in Virginia
- Voted to establish frameworks to preserve local housing
- Voted to establish the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- 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
- Co-sponsored a bill to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and possession of assault-style weapons
- Voted to establish regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted to authorize Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted to prohibit the use of campaign funds for personal expenses
The Opposition
Prado is a first-generation Cuban-American. He has dedicated himself to coaching and teaching—on the field, in classrooms, on rivers, and through his businesses. He believes in education, hard work, and family as the foundation of a thriving community.Prado advocates for parental control in education. He does not specify, but implies he favors spending taxpayer money on private education.
Prado specifically mentions the Richmond water crisis of 2025 as a failure of infrastructure he wants to target and questions Virginia’s gas and electric systems. He advocates for reduced taxation and regulations, but does not specify which ones.
Recommendation
Based on her history of supporting workers' rights, abortion access, and quality, affordable healthcare, Delegate Betsy Carr is the progressive candidate in this race.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Democratic Delegate Betsy Carr faces a challenge from Republican Rich Prado in HD-78.
Virginia's House District 78 is wholly located within the City of Richmond. In the 2024 election it remained strongly Democratic by double-digit margins.
Virginia's House District 78 is wholly located within the City of Richmond. In the 2024 election it remained strongly Democratic by double-digit margins.
Betsy B. Carr is a longtime Democratic Delegate serving Virginia’s 78th District since 2024 (previously District 69). A Hollins College alumna and Richmond civic leader, she helped found the Micah Initiative and served on the Richmond School Board before joining the General Assembly. As Minority Caucus Treasurer, she sits on major committees—including Appropriations and Rules—and champions education, housing, and community outreach.
Committee Assignments: Appropriations (Higher Education Subcommittee Chair), General Laws (Vice Chair; Procurement/Open Government Subcommittee Chair), Rules, Transportation (Transportation Infrastructure and Funding Subcommittee Chair)
Delegate Carr co-sponsored Constitutional Amendments to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Co-patroned a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Co-sponsored a bill to authorize public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- 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
- Voted to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted to establish a regulated and taxed cannabis industry in Virginia
- Voted to establish frameworks to preserve local housing
- Voted to establish the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- 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
- Co-sponsored a bill to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and possession of assault-style weapons
- Voted to establish regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted to authorize Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted to prohibit the use of campaign funds for personal expenses
Prado advocates for parental control in education. He does not specify, but implies he favors spending taxpayer money on private education.
Prado specifically mentions the Richmond water crisis of 2025 as a failure of infrastructure he wants to target and questions Virginia’s gas and electric systems. He advocates for reduced taxation and regulations, but does not specify which ones.
Committee Assignments: Appropriations (Higher Education Subcommittee Chair), General Laws (Vice Chair; Procurement/Open Government Subcommittee Chair), Rules, Transportation (Transportation Infrastructure and Funding Subcommittee Chair)
Delegate Carr co-sponsored Constitutional Amendments to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Co-patroned a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Co-sponsored a bill to authorize public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- 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
- Voted to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted to establish a regulated and taxed cannabis industry in Virginia
- Voted to establish frameworks to preserve local housing
- Voted to establish the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- 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
- Co-sponsored a bill to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and possession of assault-style weapons
- Voted to establish regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted to authorize Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted to prohibit the use of campaign funds for personal expenses
The Opposition
Prado is a first-generation Cuban-American. He has dedicated himself to coaching and teaching—on the field, in classrooms, on rivers, and through his businesses. He believes in education, hard work, and family as the foundation of a thriving community.Prado advocates for parental control in education. He does not specify, but implies he favors spending taxpayer money on private education.
Prado specifically mentions the Richmond water crisis of 2025 as a failure of infrastructure he wants to target and questions Virginia’s gas and electric systems. He advocates for reduced taxation and regulations, but does not specify which ones.
Recommendation
Based on her history of supporting workers' rights, abortion access, and quality, affordable healthcare, Delegate Betsy Carr is the progressive candidate in this race.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
