This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Barry Knight faces a challenge from Democrat Cheryl Smith for HD-98.
Virginia's House District 98 is located entirely within the City of Virginia Beach's Southeast coastal region. In the 2024 election it remained Republican by double-digit margins.
Virginia's House District 98 is located entirely within the City of Virginia Beach's Southeast coastal region. In the 2024 election it remained Republican by double-digit margins.
Cheryl Bubeck Smith is a longtime Virginia Beach educator and community volunteer who served 38 years in Chesapeake Public Schools. A graduate of James Madison University, she is running as the Democratic candidate for District 98 of the Virginia House of Delegates. Her campaign pillars include education, veterans’ services, housing security, reproductive and marriage equality, and environmental protection.
Cheryl Smith will support HJ 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Virginia Constitution and HJ 9, which would repeal the Commonwealth’s defunct same-sex marriage ban and guarantee marriage equality for LGBTQ+ Virginians.
Cheryl Smith was a teacher for 38 years. She believes that public funds must stay in public schools. She advocates for funding to provide free breakfasts and lunches for any student in need of assistance. She wants Virginia legislators to step up to ensure at-risk students have every opportunity to succeed.
Smith acknowledges that many Virginians struggle to find decent, affordable housing and that wages haven’t kept up with the cost of living increases. She wants to make it easier and cheaper to apply to rent an apartment. She advocates for securing SNAP benefits and keeping local food banks funded.
Smith wants to guarantee quality health care for pregnant people. Additionally, she wants to protect doctors and healthcare workers from prosecution or losing their jobs for providing care.
Smith pledges to “always vote to support legislation that helps improve the lives of our veterans and our military families.”
Delegate Knight voted against Constitutional Amendments to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Voted against raising teacher pay to the national average
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Did not vote on a bill establishing paid family and medical leave
- Did not vote on a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing a regulated and taxed Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted to establish frameworks for preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Did not vote on a bill establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Did not vote on a bill requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of guns in households where children live
- Did not vote on a bill establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Did not vote on a bill establishing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
Cheryl Smith will support HJ 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Virginia Constitution and HJ 9, which would repeal the Commonwealth’s defunct same-sex marriage ban and guarantee marriage equality for LGBTQ+ Virginians.
Cheryl Smith was a teacher for 38 years. She believes that public funds must stay in public schools. She advocates for funding to provide free breakfasts and lunches for any student in need of assistance. She wants Virginia legislators to step up to ensure at-risk students have every opportunity to succeed.
Smith acknowledges that many Virginians struggle to find decent, affordable housing and that wages haven’t kept up with the cost of living increases. She wants to make it easier and cheaper to apply to rent an apartment. She advocates for securing SNAP benefits and keeping local food banks funded.
Smith wants to guarantee quality health care for pregnant people. Additionally, she wants to protect doctors and healthcare workers from prosecution or losing their jobs for providing care.
Smith pledges to “always vote to support legislation that helps improve the lives of our veterans and our military families.”
The Opposition
Incumbent Republican Barry Knight was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2009. He is a lifelong agricultural entrepreneur and has served on several boards related to agriculture and pork production, such as Tidewater Pork Producers, Virginia Pork Board, and Virginia Beach Farm Bureau. He holds an honorary Doctorate from Old Dominion University. He and his wife live in Pungo and have three sons and four grandchildren.Delegate Knight voted against Constitutional Amendments to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Voted against raising teacher pay to the national average
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Did not vote on a bill establishing paid family and medical leave
- Did not vote on a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing a regulated and taxed Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted to establish frameworks for preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Did not vote on a bill establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Did not vote on a bill requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of guns in households where children live
- Did not vote on a bill establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Did not vote on a bill establishing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
Recommendation
Based on her advocacy for quality public education, protecting abortion access and providers, and affordable housing, Cheryl Smith is the progressive candidate in this race. It is also worth noting that Delegate Knight did not vote on several key bills.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Barry Knight faces a challenge from Democrat Cheryl Smith for HD-98.
Virginia's House District 98 is located entirely within the City of Virginia Beach's Southeast coastal region. In the 2024 election it remained Republican by double-digit margins.
Virginia's House District 98 is located entirely within the City of Virginia Beach's Southeast coastal region. In the 2024 election it remained Republican by double-digit margins.
Cheryl Bubeck Smith is a longtime Virginia Beach educator and community volunteer who served 38 years in Chesapeake Public Schools. A graduate of James Madison University, she is running as the Democratic candidate for District 98 of the Virginia House of Delegates. Her campaign pillars include education, veterans’ services, housing security, reproductive and marriage equality, and environmental protection.
Cheryl Smith will support HJ 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Virginia Constitution and HJ 9, which would repeal the Commonwealth’s defunct same-sex marriage ban and guarantee marriage equality for LGBTQ+ Virginians.
Cheryl Smith was a teacher for 38 years. She believes that public funds must stay in public schools. She advocates for funding to provide free breakfasts and lunches for any student in need of assistance. She wants Virginia legislators to step up to ensure at-risk students have every opportunity to succeed.
Smith acknowledges that many Virginians struggle to find decent, affordable housing and that wages haven’t kept up with the cost of living increases. She wants to make it easier and cheaper to apply to rent an apartment. She advocates for securing SNAP benefits and keeping local food banks funded.
Smith wants to guarantee quality health care for pregnant people. Additionally, she wants to protect doctors and healthcare workers from prosecution or losing their jobs for providing care.
Smith pledges to “always vote to support legislation that helps improve the lives of our veterans and our military families.”
Delegate Knight voted against Constitutional Amendments to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Voted against raising teacher pay to the national average
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Did not vote on a bill establishing paid family and medical leave
- Did not vote on a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing a regulated and taxed Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted to establish frameworks for preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Did not vote on a bill establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Did not vote on a bill requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of guns in households where children live
- Did not vote on a bill establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Did not vote on a bill establishing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
Cheryl Smith will support HJ 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Virginia Constitution and HJ 9, which would repeal the Commonwealth’s defunct same-sex marriage ban and guarantee marriage equality for LGBTQ+ Virginians.
Cheryl Smith was a teacher for 38 years. She believes that public funds must stay in public schools. She advocates for funding to provide free breakfasts and lunches for any student in need of assistance. She wants Virginia legislators to step up to ensure at-risk students have every opportunity to succeed.
Smith acknowledges that many Virginians struggle to find decent, affordable housing and that wages haven’t kept up with the cost of living increases. She wants to make it easier and cheaper to apply to rent an apartment. She advocates for securing SNAP benefits and keeping local food banks funded.
Smith wants to guarantee quality health care for pregnant people. Additionally, she wants to protect doctors and healthcare workers from prosecution or losing their jobs for providing care.
Smith pledges to “always vote to support legislation that helps improve the lives of our veterans and our military families.”
The Opposition
Incumbent Republican Barry Knight was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2009. He is a lifelong agricultural entrepreneur and has served on several boards related to agriculture and pork production, such as Tidewater Pork Producers, Virginia Pork Board, and Virginia Beach Farm Bureau. He holds an honorary Doctorate from Old Dominion University. He and his wife live in Pungo and have three sons and four grandchildren.Delegate Knight voted against Constitutional Amendments to enshrine abortion rights, restore voting rights to returning citizens, and enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution.
- Voted against raising teacher pay to the national average
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Did not vote on a bill establishing paid family and medical leave
- Did not vote on a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing a regulated and taxed Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted to establish frameworks for preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Did not vote on a bill establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Did not vote on a bill requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of guns in households where children live
- Did not vote on a bill establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Did not vote on a bill establishing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
Recommendation
Based on her advocacy for quality public education, protecting abortion access and providers, and affordable housing, Cheryl Smith is the progressive candidate in this race. It is also worth noting that Delegate Knight did not vote on several key bills.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
