Dear Friend,
Happy Thanksgiving! We are entering the holiday season, and I hope you are able to find a moment to rest and revel in quality time with loved ones. In this reflective time of year, we have much for which to be grateful.
Election Day Results
November 7 was Election Day. I am very grateful to have the privilege of serving the citizens of the 78th District; I thank the 27,269 voters who entrusted me to be their representative in the House of Delegates. Citywide, 67,738 voters turned out, marking 42.49% voter turnout. I am encouraged and delighted to see such hearty turnout. Voting is the best way to ensure our democracy works. For full voting results, visit this link.
Most Richmond residents had unopposed races on their ballot for the House of Delegates and Senate. Senate District 15 which includes portions of South Richmond had a contested race. The results of the House and Senate races are below.
In addition, Richmond voted on the Richmond Grand Casino proposal, which was defeated.
House of Delegates
District 78: Betsy Carr (D)
District 79: Rae Cousins (D)
District 77: Mike Jones (D)
Senate
District 14: Lamont Bagby (D)
District 15: Ghazala Hashmi (D)
Statewide, the House of Delegates has flipped to Democratic control with 51 seats to the 49 for the Republicans. In the Senate, Democrats have maintained control, with 21 seats in the 40-member chamber.
The Virginia Public Access Project has user friendly election results, which can be found here. Additionally, they recently hosted a conversation between Democratic and Republican strategists, as well as academics. The talk, titled After Virginia Votes, can be found here.
Following elections, the House and Senate Democratic caucuses have elected their internal leadership. In the House, Don Scott has been selected as Speaker-Designee, setting him up to be the first African-American Speaker of the House of Delegates. Delegate Charniele Herring will be Majority Leader and Delegate Kathy Tran will serve as Caucus Chair. The full press release can be found here.
In the Senate, Senator Louise Lucas will remain President Pro Tempore. Senator Scott Surrovell has been elected as Majority Leader and Senator Mamie Locke will be Caucus Chair. Their full press release can be found here.
House & Senate Money Committee Meetings
The House Appropriations & Finance Committees met for an annual retreat on November 14. You can find the agenda here, and a recording of the presentations here. Additionally, the Senate Finance Committee held a retreat in Tysons Corner on November 15 and 16. Their presentations can be found here.
A key takeaway from the meetings was that Virginia’s large recent revenues are reutrning to pre-pandemic levels. Virginia has been enjoying budget surpluses, which have allowed the state to undergo significant investments in areas like education, workforce development and behavioral health initiatives. However, major contributors to the increased revenues, like federal medicaid matching and COVID relief funds, have dried up, and a looming recession detracts from future revenue forecasts.
The bottom line is that the legislature will need to be prudent this coming session when considering the Governor’s proposed budget. Initiatives such as major tax cuts or rebates cannot be a priority when funds are limited and the state has clear obligations to fund pressing needs such as education, medicaid, housing and mental health.
You can read more about the money committee annual meetings in this article from The Richmond Times-Dispatch. Additionally, this article from The Virginia Mercury highlights Virginia’s underfunded school system amid this bare financial outlook.
Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission Presentations
On November 13, members and staff of the Joint Legislative Audit & Review Commission met to hear presentations and reports. Reports included topics such as economic development initiatives, public defenders, the Virginia Information Technology Agency, as well as reports on JLARC’s impact and other legislative actions that could be taken.
You can find the reports here and a recording of the presentations at this link.
2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament
The National Speech & Debate Association has announced that Richmond will host the 2026 National Speech & Debate Tournament, June 14-19. The event is expected to bring 10,000 student competitors and visitors, and will be held in 750 rooms across schools in Central Virginia. This event will coincide with America’s Semiquincentennial Birthday, which is a theme of the event.
More information can be found on the Richmond Forum’s website.
Community Thanksgiving Events
On Thanksgiving, two community luncheons will be happening. The Giving Heart Community Feast will be at the Richmond Convention Center from 11 AM - 2 PM. Volunteers and food donors can learn more at this link. Additionally, there will be a Community Luncheon from 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM at Diversity Thrift. Interested volunteers should contact Cheezi at 804-304-3034.
Disposal of Unused Drugs
At a recent drug-take-back event at the State Capitol, I learned of a valuable resource for disposal of unused drugs. This website from the U.S. Department of Justice as well as the Drug Enforcement Agency, lets you find nearby locations that are disposal centers of controlled substances.
VCU Leadership Program Applications
The VCU L. Douglas Wilder School is now accepting applications for two leadership development programs. Those interested in the Minority Political Leadership Institute can learn more and apply here. Additionally, more information and the application for the Higher Ground Women’s Leadership Development Program can be found at this link.
Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program
The Virginia Folklife Apprenticeship Program encourages those who are experienced in a cultural tradition to teach it to a member of their community. Grants award $5,000; $4,000 for the mentor and $1,000 for the mentee. Grants have been awarded to a vast array of areas, including custom car bodywork, baking and cooking, and instrument manufacturing among many others.
Program information can be found here and application information can be found here.
Thank You
It is an honor to serve in the House of Delegates. Please never hesitate to contact me at delegate.carr@betsycarr.org or 804-698-1069 if I can be helpful to you.
Sincerely,
Betsy