Skip to main content

Stafford County

Not in Stafford County? Find your guide.

Election Day November 4, 2025
Find Drop Box Locations
Ballot Drop Boxes

Election Day is Tuesday, November 4th

The Virginia Progressive Voters Guide compiles the information that allows you to make informed decisions about the races on your ballot, based on your values. Please share this guide with your friends and family.

Federal

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.
Last updated: 2025-09-24

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.
Last updated: 2025-09-24

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.
Last updated: 2025-09-24

House of Delegates

Depending on where you live, you may have one of the below House of Delegate races on your ballot.

House District 023

This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Democratic Delegate Candi Mundon King faces a challenge from Republican James Tully in HD-23.

Virginia’s House District 23 spans southwestern Prince William County and northern Stafford County along the I-95 corridor, encompassing exurban and suburban communities adjacent to Marine Corps Base Quantico and near Falmouth. In the 2024 election Democratic presidential and senatorial nominees carried the district by comfortable double-digit margins.

Candi Mundon King is the Democratic Delegate for Virginia’s 23rd House District, serving since January 2024 with re-election underway in November 2025. A Norfolk State alumna and seasoned community relations professional, she currently chairs the Counties, Cities, and Towns Committee and vice-chairs the Public Safety Committee. Known for securing significant educational funding and championing equity, her public service includes leadership in local civic organizations and statewide commissions.
Committee Assignments: Counties, Cities and Towns (Chair), Finance (Subcommittee #1 Chair), Labor and Commerce, Public Safety (Vice Chair)


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


Education
- Voted to raise teacher pay to the national average 
- Voted against a“forced-outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted to increase protections and support for cyberbullying
- Voted to establish Gun-free zones at public schools


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 repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted to establish regulatory bodies for the cannabis industry in Virginia
- Voted to prohibit landlords from requiring extra fees from tenants
- Voted to establish frameworks to preserve local housing


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


Other Issues
- Voted to prohibit the manufacture, sale, or possession of assault-style weapons
- Co-sponsored a bill to prohibit the use of campaign funds for personal expenses
- Voted to allow Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted to establish regulations for AI


The Opposition

Republican James Tully is a Gulf War veteran and former Fairfax County Deputy Lieutenant Sheriff, currently serving as Deputy Superintendent at Rappahannock Regional Jail. Tully served on the Stafford School Board’s Transportation Committee for two terms, including as Chair. He advocates for increased funding for homeschooling and private schools. Tully was recognized personally by ICE for helping with “immigration enforcement” and is a lifetime NRA member. He does not support abortion access and spouts anti-abortion disinformation on his website


Recommendation

Based on her track record of supporting abortion access, advocating for workers' rights, and fighting for quality, affordable healthcare, Incumbent Democratic Delegate Candi Mundon King is the progressive candidate in this race.
Last updated: 2025-09-22

House District 064

This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Paul Milde faces a challenge from Democrat Stacey Carroll in HD-64.

Virginia’s House District 64 covers parts of Stafford 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.

Democrat Stacey Carroll is a U.S. Army Reserve veteran and CPA. She currently serves in the West Virginia National Guard. She has worked as a government agency auditor. She served on a task force responsible for administering tests and vaccinations in the field. Carroll serves on several boards and organizations, including the Economic Development Committee for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Fredericksburg Area Alumnae Chapter, the National Council for Negro Women: Stafford/Fredericksburg Section, and the Stafford County Chapter of the NAACP. In addition to her three children, she has fostered 22 children. 


Education
Stacey Annie Carrol supports competitive pay for teachers and school staff and advocates for expanding after-school programs.


Economy and Inflation
Carrol wants to focus on sustainable economic growth without burdening residents. She will fight for small businesses and good-paying jobs with workplace protections that diversify revenue streams.


Health and Human Services
Carrol advocates for expanded healthcare access and affordability. She is committed to protecting Medicaid, defending reproductive healthcare, strengthening mental-health and substance-abuse program funding, and fighting to lower prescription drug costs.


Other Issues
She will partner with colleagues in Congress and across the aisle to protect veterans' benefits, expand access to mental health services, and fund the resources necessary to ease the transition back to civilian life.


The Opposition

Incumbent Republican Delegate Paul Milde was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2023. He previously served on the Stafford County Board of Supervisors. He unsuccessfully ran for the District 28 House of Delegates seat in 2019. Delegate Milde has served on several committees, including the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, and the Stafford Technology and Research Park.


Delegate Milde voted against a bill to enshrine abortion rights in the Virginia Constitution, a Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens, and a bill to enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution. He has voted against commonsense gun violence prevention bills. He also voted against increasing the minimum wage, establishing paid family and medical leave, and repealing prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees.


Delegate Milde voted against tenants' rights legislation, establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry, and establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board.


Recommendation

Based on her support for affordable, quality healthcare, quality public education, and affordable healthcare, Stacey Carroll is the progressive candidate in this race.
Last updated: 2025-09-22

House District 065

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.
Last updated: 2025-09-22