This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Democratic House Speaker Don Scott is running for reelection unopposed in HD-88.
Virginia's House District 88 is entirely located within the City of Portsmouth. In the 2024 election it remained strongly Democratic by double-digit margins.
Virginia's House District 88 is entirely located within the City of Portsmouth. In the 2024 election it remained strongly Democratic by double-digit margins.
Don Scott is the Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates and represents District 88 since January 2024. A former U.S. Navy officer and lawyer, he serves as a partner at a prominent law firm. His leadership is shaped by personal transformation and overcoming adversity—having spent several years in federal prison before being pardoned in 2025. A champion for education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and equitable governance, Scott became Virginia’s first Black Speaker in 2024.
Committee Assignments: House Leader, Rules (Chair; Joint Rules Subcommittee Chair)
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine abortion rights
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine equal marriage rights
- Voted 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 against a“forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted to establish paid family and medical leave
- Voted to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted to establish regulatory bodies for the 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
- Voted to establish regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against authorizing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and possession of assault-style weapons
Committee Assignments: House Leader, Rules (Chair; Joint Rules Subcommittee Chair)
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine abortion rights
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine equal marriage rights
- Voted 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 against a“forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted to establish paid family and medical leave
- Voted to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted to establish regulatory bodies for the 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
- Voted to establish regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against authorizing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and possession of assault-style weapons
Recommendation
This is an uncontested race. Based on his history of advocating for workers' rights, abortion access, and tenants' rights, Leader Don Scott is a progressive candidate.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Democratic House Speaker Don Scott is running for reelection unopposed in HD-88.
Virginia's House District 88 is entirely located within the City of Portsmouth. In the 2024 election it remained strongly Democratic by double-digit margins.
Virginia's House District 88 is entirely located within the City of Portsmouth. In the 2024 election it remained strongly Democratic by double-digit margins.
Don Scott is the Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates and represents District 88 since January 2024. A former U.S. Navy officer and lawyer, he serves as a partner at a prominent law firm. His leadership is shaped by personal transformation and overcoming adversity—having spent several years in federal prison before being pardoned in 2025. A champion for education, healthcare, criminal justice reform, and equitable governance, Scott became Virginia’s first Black Speaker in 2024.
Committee Assignments: House Leader, Rules (Chair; Joint Rules Subcommittee Chair)
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine abortion rights
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine equal marriage rights
- Voted 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 against a“forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted to establish paid family and medical leave
- Voted to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted to establish regulatory bodies for the 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
- Voted to establish regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against authorizing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and possession of assault-style weapons
Committee Assignments: House Leader, Rules (Chair; Joint Rules Subcommittee Chair)
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine abortion rights
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Co-sponsored a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine equal marriage rights
- Voted 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 against a“forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted to establish paid family and medical leave
- Voted to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted to establish regulatory bodies for the 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
- Voted to establish regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against authorizing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and possession of assault-style weapons
Recommendation
This is an uncontested race. Based on his history of advocating for workers' rights, abortion access, and tenants' rights, Leader Don Scott is a progressive candidate.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
