This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Eric Zehr faces a challenge from Democrat Joy Powers in HD-51.
Virginia’s House District 51 spans portions of Campbell, Bedford, and Pittsylvania counties. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by double-digit margins.
Virginia’s House District 51 spans portions of Campbell, Bedford, and Pittsylvania counties. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by double-digit margins.
Democrat Joy Powers is a small business owner. She has been an active member of many organizations including Virginia FFA, Virginia 4-H, Chamblissburg Ruritans, Virginia Simmental Association and the Virginia Farm Bureau. An advocate of sustainable agriculture, she founded Restore the Harvest, providing education and resources worldwide. Powers served as the Superintendent of the Bedford County Fair and also served on the Bedford County Agricultural Economic Development Advisory Board. She lives on a farm in Bedford with her family, including her son, who she adopted through foster care.
Joy Powers supports fully funding public education and raising teacher pay. She advocates for expanding vocational & workforce training. She has criticized Trump’s cuts to the Department of Education.
Powers fights for additional funding to fix roads and bridges. She defends farmland and property rights and wants to make it easier for businesses, including farms and agribusiness, to thrive. She advocates for expanding access to rural broadband.
Powers supports fair funding and better access to quality healthcare.
Powers supports “responsible gun ownership” and opposes “overreaching gun bans”. She pledges to invest in law enforcement and first responders.
- Voted against a bill to enshrine abortion rights in the Virginia Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against enshrining equal marriage rights in the Virginia Constitution
- Voted against a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against paid family and medical leave
- Voted against a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Joy Powers supports fully funding public education and raising teacher pay. She advocates for expanding vocational & workforce training. She has criticized Trump’s cuts to the Department of Education.
Powers fights for additional funding to fix roads and bridges. She defends farmland and property rights and wants to make it easier for businesses, including farms and agribusiness, to thrive. She advocates for expanding access to rural broadband.
Powers supports fair funding and better access to quality healthcare.
Powers supports “responsible gun ownership” and opposes “overreaching gun bans”. She pledges to invest in law enforcement and first responders.
The Opposition
Incumbent Republican Delegate Eric Zehr was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2023. He previously served on the Campbell County Board of Supervisors from 2013 to 2017. Delegate Zehr also chaired a local Republican Party, as well as a House District Republican Committee. Key legislation:- Voted against a bill to enshrine abortion rights in the Virginia Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against enshrining equal marriage rights in the Virginia Constitution
- Voted against a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against paid family and medical leave
- Voted against a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Recommendation
Based on her support for fully funding public education and quality affordable healthcare, Joy Powers is the progressive candidate in this race.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Eric Zehr faces a challenge from Democrat Joy Powers in HD-51.
Virginia’s House District 51 spans portions of Campbell, Bedford, and Pittsylvania counties. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by double-digit margins.
Virginia’s House District 51 spans portions of Campbell, Bedford, and Pittsylvania counties. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by double-digit margins.
Democrat Joy Powers is a small business owner. She has been an active member of many organizations including Virginia FFA, Virginia 4-H, Chamblissburg Ruritans, Virginia Simmental Association and the Virginia Farm Bureau. An advocate of sustainable agriculture, she founded Restore the Harvest, providing education and resources worldwide. Powers served as the Superintendent of the Bedford County Fair and also served on the Bedford County Agricultural Economic Development Advisory Board. She lives on a farm in Bedford with her family, including her son, who she adopted through foster care.
Joy Powers supports fully funding public education and raising teacher pay. She advocates for expanding vocational & workforce training. She has criticized Trump’s cuts to the Department of Education.
Powers fights for additional funding to fix roads and bridges. She defends farmland and property rights and wants to make it easier for businesses, including farms and agribusiness, to thrive. She advocates for expanding access to rural broadband.
Powers supports fair funding and better access to quality healthcare.
Powers supports “responsible gun ownership” and opposes “overreaching gun bans”. She pledges to invest in law enforcement and first responders.
- Voted against a bill to enshrine abortion rights in the Virginia Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against enshrining equal marriage rights in the Virginia Constitution
- Voted against a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against paid family and medical leave
- Voted against a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Joy Powers supports fully funding public education and raising teacher pay. She advocates for expanding vocational & workforce training. She has criticized Trump’s cuts to the Department of Education.
Powers fights for additional funding to fix roads and bridges. She defends farmland and property rights and wants to make it easier for businesses, including farms and agribusiness, to thrive. She advocates for expanding access to rural broadband.
Powers supports fair funding and better access to quality healthcare.
Powers supports “responsible gun ownership” and opposes “overreaching gun bans”. She pledges to invest in law enforcement and first responders.
The Opposition
Incumbent Republican Delegate Eric Zehr was first elected to the House of Delegates in 2023. He previously served on the Campbell County Board of Supervisors from 2013 to 2017. Delegate Zehr also chaired a local Republican Party, as well as a House District Republican Committee. Key legislation:- Voted against a bill to enshrine abortion rights in the Virginia Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against enshrining equal marriage rights in the Virginia Constitution
- Voted against a bill to raise teacher pay to the national average
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against paid family and medical leave
- Voted against a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against prohibiting landlords from requiring tenants to cover extra fees
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against establishing a Prescription Drug Affordability Board
- Voted against establishing the right to access and use FDA-approved birth control
- Voted against requiring insurance providers to cover birth control
- Voted against establishing regulations for “high-risk” AI
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Recommendation
Based on her support for fully funding public education and quality affordable healthcare, Joy Powers is the progressive candidate in this race.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
