This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Eric Phillips faces a challenge from Democrat Melody Cartwright in HD-48.
Virginia’s House District 48 covers parts of Pittsylvania County, parts of Henry County, and the City of Martinsville in Southside Virginia. In the 2024 election it remained a strong Republican district by comfortable double-digit margins.
Virginia’s House District 48 covers parts of Pittsylvania County, parts of Henry County, and the City of Martinsville in Southside Virginia. In the 2024 election it remained a strong Republican district by comfortable double-digit margins.
Democrat Melody Ann Cartwright is a Southside Virginia resident. Cartwright ran unsuccessfully for the District 48 seat in 2024. She holds a B.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University. Cartwright has served as an election official for Martinsville. She worked as a graphic and exhibit designer for the Virginia Museum of Natural History. While raising her daughter as a single mom, she also cared and advocated for social services for her younger siblings.
Melody Ann Cartwright's pledge to fight for automatic restoration of voting rights for returning citizens indicates she would support HJ 2.
Melody Ann Cartwright supports fully funding and staffing our public school systems.
Cartwright believes legislation is needed to update landowners' and tenants' rights. She supports raising the minimum wage and repealing "right to work" laws. She supports quality affordable housing and has been an advocate for tenant rights for 25 years.
She pledges to fight for access to healthcare, including a maternity ward, and lower costs overall.
Cartwright has stated she will not accept campaign contributions from utility companies. She vows not to take away gun rights, but notes she will stand firm for gun education and gun safety 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 increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against establishing paid family and medical leave
- Recorded as “Abstention” on a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against a bill to establish 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 authorizing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Melody Ann Cartwright's pledge to fight for automatic restoration of voting rights for returning citizens indicates she would support HJ 2.
Melody Ann Cartwright supports fully funding and staffing our public school systems.
Cartwright believes legislation is needed to update landowners' and tenants' rights. She supports raising the minimum wage and repealing "right to work" laws. She supports quality affordable housing and has been an advocate for tenant rights for 25 years.
She pledges to fight for access to healthcare, including a maternity ward, and lower costs overall.
Cartwright has stated she will not accept campaign contributions from utility companies. She vows not to take away gun rights, but notes she will stand firm for gun education and gun safety legislation.
The Opposition
Incumbent Republican Delegate Eric Phillips was first elected to the House of Delegates in a 2024 special election. He is a small business owner and serves on several boards, including the Republican Party of Virginia Executive Committee. He and his wife live in Henry County; they have three children and two grandchildren. 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 increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against establishing paid family and medical leave
- Recorded as “Abstention” on a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against a bill to establish 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 authorizing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Recommendation
Based on her commitment to fight for the restoration of rights and commonsense gun legislation, Melody Ann Cartwright 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 Phillips faces a challenge from Democrat Melody Cartwright in HD-48.
Virginia’s House District 48 covers parts of Pittsylvania County, parts of Henry County, and the City of Martinsville in Southside Virginia. In the 2024 election it remained a strong Republican district by comfortable double-digit margins.
Virginia’s House District 48 covers parts of Pittsylvania County, parts of Henry County, and the City of Martinsville in Southside Virginia. In the 2024 election it remained a strong Republican district by comfortable double-digit margins.
Democrat Melody Ann Cartwright is a Southside Virginia resident. Cartwright ran unsuccessfully for the District 48 seat in 2024. She holds a B.F.A. from Virginia Commonwealth University. Cartwright has served as an election official for Martinsville. She worked as a graphic and exhibit designer for the Virginia Museum of Natural History. While raising her daughter as a single mom, she also cared and advocated for social services for her younger siblings.
Melody Ann Cartwright's pledge to fight for automatic restoration of voting rights for returning citizens indicates she would support HJ 2.
Melody Ann Cartwright supports fully funding and staffing our public school systems.
Cartwright believes legislation is needed to update landowners' and tenants' rights. She supports raising the minimum wage and repealing "right to work" laws. She supports quality affordable housing and has been an advocate for tenant rights for 25 years.
She pledges to fight for access to healthcare, including a maternity ward, and lower costs overall.
Cartwright has stated she will not accept campaign contributions from utility companies. She vows not to take away gun rights, but notes she will stand firm for gun education and gun safety 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 increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against establishing paid family and medical leave
- Recorded as “Abstention” on a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against a bill to establish 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 authorizing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Melody Ann Cartwright's pledge to fight for automatic restoration of voting rights for returning citizens indicates she would support HJ 2.
Melody Ann Cartwright supports fully funding and staffing our public school systems.
Cartwright believes legislation is needed to update landowners' and tenants' rights. She supports raising the minimum wage and repealing "right to work" laws. She supports quality affordable housing and has been an advocate for tenant rights for 25 years.
She pledges to fight for access to healthcare, including a maternity ward, and lower costs overall.
Cartwright has stated she will not accept campaign contributions from utility companies. She vows not to take away gun rights, but notes she will stand firm for gun education and gun safety legislation.
The Opposition
Incumbent Republican Delegate Eric Phillips was first elected to the House of Delegates in a 2024 special election. He is a small business owner and serves on several boards, including the Republican Party of Virginia Executive Committee. He and his wife live in Henry County; they have three children and two grandchildren. 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 increasing the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against establishing paid family and medical leave
- Recorded as “Abstention” on a bill to repeal prohibitions on collective bargaining for public employees
- Voted against establishing regulatory bodies to establish a Virginia cannabis industry
- Voted against establishing the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act
- Voted against preserving local housing
- Voted against a bill to establish 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 authorizing Ranked Choice Voting for certain local elections
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted against a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Recommendation
Based on her commitment to fight for the restoration of rights and commonsense gun legislation, Melody Ann Cartwright is the progressive candidate in this race.
Last updated: 2025-09-22
