This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Democratic Delegate Patrick Hope faces a challenge from Republican tech entrepreneur Bill Moher in HD-1.

Virginia’s House District 1 lies entirely within high-density Arlington County, covering the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and adjacent neighborhoods such as Clarendon and Pentagon City. In the 2024 election Democratic presidential and senatorial nominees carried the district by comfortable double-digit margins.

Patrick A. Hope is a veteran Democratic Delegate who has served Northern Virginia since 2010—representing District 1 since 2024 after redistricting. A Texas native and healthcare attorney, he holds law and policy degrees. As Chair of the Courts of Justice Committee, Hope leads on criminal justice and health policy, and carries experience in legal advocacy and academia. He is running for re-election in November 2025.
Committee Assignments: Courts of Justice (Chair), Health and Human Services (Health Subcommittee Chair), Public Safety

Delegate Hope supports the continuous expansion of Medicaid and strengthening protections for pre-existing conditions. He voted in favor of bills to establish gun-free zones in Capitol Square and college campuses and to prohibit the manufacture, sale, or possession of assault-style weapons. He supports criminal justice reform and co-patroned an expungement bill in 2021. Delegate Hope supports curbing greenhouse gas emissions by investing in clean energy solutions, protecting water quality and green spaces, and offering tax credits for energy-efficient appliances and upgrades. He voted in favor of raising the minimum wage, eliminating exemptions from the minimum wage for farmworkers, and paid family and medical leave. He co-patroned and voted for proposed Constitutional Amendments protecting reproductive freedom, marriage equality, and automatically restoring voting rights to people upon release from incarceration.

The Opposition

Bill Moher, an Arlington-native tech entrepreneur and repeat GOP contender, is campaigning almost exclusively on repealing Virginia’s modest annual car tax, a regressive proposal that would disproportionately benefit wealthier commuters. He has little to say about urgent priorities like healthcare access, public education funding, and environmental concerns. His narrow focus on top-down tax cuts under the guise of “fiscal accountability” underscores a party out of touch with Arlington’s diverse electorate and unwilling to propose real solutions for working Virginia families.

Recommendation

Based on his impressive track record in office and strong values, Patrick Hope is the progressive candidate in this race.