The field of hopefuls for two open seats in Southwest and Southside in the November race to control the House of Delegates is growing,
Delegates for the 46th and 49th Districts have both announced their plans not to seek re-election in November, leaving the field open for hopefuls seeking the seats. Both districts, currently represented by Republicans Jed Arnold and Danny Marshall, respectively, are considered Republican strongholds.
Arnold, from Smyth County, announced his decision not to seek reelection on Friday, citing his wife’s struggle with long COVID and the need to support his family through her illness as the driving factor in his choice to not seek reelection. Marshall, who hails from Danville, announced his decision not to seek reelection in February, citing undisclosed health concerns.
Candidates have until April 3 to file the required materials to make it onto the ballot, including 125 signatures from qualified voters.
Current candidates for the 46th District
Mitchell Cornett is the second Republican to announce his candidacy for the 46th District seat, currently held by Del. Jed Arnold. Republican Adam Tolbert and Democrat Jamie Ralston Hendry had previously announced their candidacy for the district that includes Grayson County, Smyth County, Wythe County and part of Pulaski County.
Cornett, a member of the Grayson County Board of Supervisors, a cattle farmer, a realtor and small business owner, has received an endorsement from state Sen. Bill Stanley, R-Franklin County, along with a number of local county board and school board members.
Tolbert, who serves as vice-chairman of the Virginia Lottery Board and received a Ph.D. in Public Administration from Liberty University, currently works as the senior director of Administration at the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center in Abingdon. He has received endorsements from Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Scott County, Del. Jason Ballard, R-Giles County, Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick County, Sen. Todd Pillion, R-Washington County, and Sen. Travis Hackworth, R-Tazewell County, among others.
Updated, March 18: Tolbert has also announced endorsements by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County.
Hendry did not respond to requests for comment regarding her campaign.
Current candidates for the 49th District
Four candidates have entered the race to represent Virginia’s 49th House of Delegates District. Democrats Jasmine Lipscomb and Gary Miller and Republicans Madison Whittle and Vanessa Scearce have announced their candidacy for the district that includes the city of Danville and parts of Halifax and Pittsylvania counties.
Lipscomb is again seeking election to represent the 49th District after she was denied the nomination from her own party in the 2023 race. A veteran, former Marine, stay-at-home mom, and life-long Danville resident, Lipscomb said she is seeking to reenfranchise voters in the district. Updated, March 18: We have removed a reference to an endorsement Lipscomb said she had received after Cardinal learned it was from a previous election cycle.
Miller, a cardiologist and member of the Danville City Council has also run for the district once before, in 2013, he said. Miller, a Democrat, said he is most concerned about potential cuts to federal programs like Medicaid and Medicare.
Whittle, a member of the Danville City Council and a property manager, owner and developer, has received endorsements from Marshall, Del. Eric Phillips, R-Henry County, and Del. Will Davis, R-Franklin County.
Scearce, who works as a director for the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Danville Area, launched her campaign on Monday. She currently sits on the Danville Pittsylvania County Chamber of Commerce and has belonged to a number of other community organizations.