This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Wendell Walker faces a challenge from Democrat Risë Hayes in HD-52.
Virginia’s House District 52 covers the city of Lynchburg and a small sliver of Campbell County in Southside Virginia. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by single‐digit margins.
Virginia’s House District 52 covers the city of Lynchburg and a small sliver of Campbell County in Southside Virginia. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by single‐digit margins.
Democrat Risë Hayes grew up in California and has lived in Virginia for the past ten years. She grew up in extreme poverty and spent some of her childhood living in a tent. Hayes holds a B.S. of Natural Science and Government from Liberty University.
Risë Hayes will support HJ 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Virginia Constitution.
Risë Hayes believes that every child deserves access to a high-quality education and pledges to fight for increased school funding, support for teachers, and policies that promote equity and inclusion in the classroom. Hayes supports investing in early education, modernizing facilities, and expanding access to vocational training and higher education.
Hayes vows to hold landlords accountable for safe and affordable housing, address skyrocketing housing prices, increasing costs of groceries, healthcare, and transportation.
Hayes called out vaccine denialism and disinformation on social media and opposed the “Big Beautiful Bill” for impacting Medicaid in her district.
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine abortion rights in Virginia’s Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against a bill to establish 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 paid family and medical leave
- 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 a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Risë Hayes will support HJ 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Virginia Constitution.
Risë Hayes believes that every child deserves access to a high-quality education and pledges to fight for increased school funding, support for teachers, and policies that promote equity and inclusion in the classroom. Hayes supports investing in early education, modernizing facilities, and expanding access to vocational training and higher education.
Hayes vows to hold landlords accountable for safe and affordable housing, address skyrocketing housing prices, increasing costs of groceries, healthcare, and transportation.
Hayes called out vaccine denialism and disinformation on social media and opposed the “Big Beautiful Bill” for impacting Medicaid in her district.
The Opposition
Incumbent Republican Delegate Wendell Walker has served in the House of Delegates since 2020. He attended Liberty Baptist College and toured with Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr. He has held several positions in various Republican committees. He and his wife have two children and two grandchildren.- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine abortion rights in Virginia’s Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against a bill to establish 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 paid family and medical leave
- 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 a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Recommendation
Based on her support for quality public education, affordable housing, and workers' rights, Risë Hayes is the progressive candidate in this race.
Ultima actualización 2025-09-22
This election will be held on November 4, 2025. Incumbent Republican Delegate Wendell Walker faces a challenge from Democrat Risë Hayes in HD-52.
Virginia’s House District 52 covers the city of Lynchburg and a small sliver of Campbell County in Southside Virginia. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by single‐digit margins.
Virginia’s House District 52 covers the city of Lynchburg and a small sliver of Campbell County in Southside Virginia. In the 2024 election it leaned Republican by single‐digit margins.
Democrat Risë Hayes grew up in California and has lived in Virginia for the past ten years. She grew up in extreme poverty and spent some of her childhood living in a tent. Hayes holds a B.S. of Natural Science and Government from Liberty University.
Risë Hayes will support HJ 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Virginia Constitution.
Risë Hayes believes that every child deserves access to a high-quality education and pledges to fight for increased school funding, support for teachers, and policies that promote equity and inclusion in the classroom. Hayes supports investing in early education, modernizing facilities, and expanding access to vocational training and higher education.
Hayes vows to hold landlords accountable for safe and affordable housing, address skyrocketing housing prices, increasing costs of groceries, healthcare, and transportation.
Hayes called out vaccine denialism and disinformation on social media and opposed the “Big Beautiful Bill” for impacting Medicaid in her district.
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine abortion rights in Virginia’s Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against a bill to establish 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 paid family and medical leave
- 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 a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Risë Hayes will support HJ 1, which would enshrine reproductive rights in the Virginia Constitution.
Risë Hayes believes that every child deserves access to a high-quality education and pledges to fight for increased school funding, support for teachers, and policies that promote equity and inclusion in the classroom. Hayes supports investing in early education, modernizing facilities, and expanding access to vocational training and higher education.
Hayes vows to hold landlords accountable for safe and affordable housing, address skyrocketing housing prices, increasing costs of groceries, healthcare, and transportation.
Hayes called out vaccine denialism and disinformation on social media and opposed the “Big Beautiful Bill” for impacting Medicaid in her district.
The Opposition
Incumbent Republican Delegate Wendell Walker has served in the House of Delegates since 2020. He attended Liberty Baptist College and toured with Dr. Jerry Falwell, Sr. He has held several positions in various Republican committees. He and his wife have two children and two grandchildren.- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine abortion rights in Virginia’s Constitution
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to restore voting rights to returning citizens
- Voted against a Constitutional Amendment to enshrine equal marriage rights in Virginia’s Constitution
- Voted against authorizing public colleges and universities to prohibit guns on school property
- Voted for a “forced outing” bill targeting transgender students
- Voted against a bill to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour by 2027
- Voted against a bill to establish 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 paid family and medical leave
- 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 a bill that would require secure storage of firearms in households where children live
Recommendation
Based on her support for quality public education, affordable housing, and workers' rights, Risë Hayes is the progressive candidate in this race.
Ultima actualización 2025-09-22
