With Democrats holding a narrow 51 to 49 majority in the Virginia House of Delegates, Del. Geary Higgins (R-Loudoun) says the 2025 election is critical, especially in District 30, where control of the chamber could be decided.
Higgins, the Republican incumbent, is seeking re-election on a platform centered around education reform, energy policy, public safety, historical preservation, and strong opposition to what he calls “radical” Democratic agendas. He warns that far-left policies on energy, schools, and social issues threaten Virginia’s stability and values.
First elected in 2023 with 53.1 percent of the vote, Higgins says he is looking to build on that success through expanded voter outreach and a focus on his legislative accomplishments.
“My platform for the 2025 election is restoring common sense, building upon the economic successes of Governor Youngkin, unleashing Virginia’s energy generation, preserving our history, and protecting our beautiful district,” Higgins told the West Nova News. “My priorities are still the same as when I ran in 2023, but have adapted to focus on the new challenges we face, most notably when it comes to energy.”
The election also coincides with major statewide contests, including Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears’ bid for governor, John Reid for lieutenant governor and Attorney General Jason Miyares’ re-election campaign.
As the campaign heats up, Higgins says his focus remains on grassroots engagement and direct voter contact throughout the district prior to early voting which starts Sept. 20.
“I’ve been working hard to represent the interests of my constituents, and have been heavily engaged with them about my work on their behalf,” Higgins said. “Right now, my team and I are knocking on every door to ensure that folks know there is an election and that they have the chance to meet me or someone from my team and ask questions. We hope to meet more folks who may not have known me last cycle and earn their support this time, as well as drive out more voters overall.”
Facing Democrat John Chilton McAuliff in the Nov. 4 election, Higgins launched a fierce attack, painting his opponent’s agenda as dangerously out of touch and a direct threat to Virginians’ energy future.
“I really have not seen or heard much from my opponent, but based on what I have heard, his radical, left-wing climate policies will take us in the wrong direction in an already dire energy situation,” Higgins said. “Virginia is the largest importer of energy in the country, making our grid entirely dependent on other states. Not only is this driving up electric bills for Virginians, but it’s also the main reason we are constantly fighting new transmission line proposals through our district. John McAuliff’s policies would bring higher energy bills and more transmission lines over your houses and across our viewshed.”
Higgins emphasized his extensive experience in public service.
“When it comes to contrasting resumes with my opponent, I believe the key difference is experience,” he said. “I have been elected four times in this District, first serving a term on the Loudoun County School Board, then two terms on the Board of Supervisors, and now a term as Delegate in the House. That’s more than fourteen years in elected public service, working for and answering to my constituents, and representing them with honor.”
Higgins emphasized the value of his longstanding commitment to effective leadership and bipartisan collaboration.
“My record of public service is there,” he said. “I have built relationships across the aisle and across our district that allow me to achieve real successes on behalf of my constituents. I’ve taken on hard challenges head-on and delivered time and time again for those I serve.”
He went further, calling attention to campaign contributions McAuliff made in the past.
“My opponent also personally donated to Zohran Mamdani, the New York City Democrat Mayoral candidate, a radical communist who supports defunding the police, seizing private property, government-subsidized everything, and general chaos,” he said. “I do not believe anyone who could support the efforts of Zohran Mamdani is even fit to represent this area.”
In his first term, Delegate Geary Higgins built a legislative record he describes as rooted in “common sense,” advancing a range of bills aimed at protecting families, promoting public safety and improving quality of life in the 30th District.
Among his accomplishments, Higgins sponsored legislation requiring schools to notify parents within 24 hours of suspected opioid overdoses, an effort to keep families informed and engaged during potential crises.
He also helped pass a bill banning seven dangerous food dyes from school meals, targeting additives with no nutritional value in an effort to protect children’s health.
On the public safety front, he supported increased penalties for threats involving firearms, aiming to deter violence and bolster legal tools for law enforcement.
Higgins also championed a bill that enables individuals with intellectual disabilities to vote curbside, ensuring accessible participation in elections.
He worked to ensure homeschool students could join JROTC programs, correcting what he saw as inconsistent local compliance with federal law.
Additionally, he helped unlock state funding for gravel road maintenance and improvements, addressing rural infrastructure needs long neglected by what he views as an “arguably incorrect” misinterpretation of state law.
Higgins also passed a measure improving asbestos remediation procedures, ensuring that cleanup funds are used effectively to verify that air quality is safe after removal efforts.
He also worked to block a new transmission line project across western Loudoun County, protecting historic and conserved lands.
“After 6 or more meetings with NextEra, numerous meetings with hundreds of constituents, and their help, we were successful in ensuring that this line would create no new right-of-way in our district!” he said. “Now, we are continuing to work with Dominion and First Energy to do everything in our power to keep these new lines within the existing easements and minimize impact in the district and on your properties.”
Higgins also emphasizes faith, patriotism and parental rights as defining elements of his campaign.
Social issues like biological males participating in women’s sports and the spread of DEI mandates remain among the most politically volatile topics in Virginia.
Higgins has made them central to his re-election message.
With polling showing that as much as 80% of the general public opposes these initiatives, often pushed by a vocal minority, Higgins frames them as flashpoints in a broader cultural battle.
At the heart of his education platform is a forceful rejection of Loudoun County Public Schools’ Policy 8040, which allows students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that align with their gender identity.
“I am fighting to lower taxes and reduce our cost of living so that Virginians can thrive,” Higgins said. “I plan to restore common sense and stand up for women by keeping boys out of girls’ sports and locker rooms and vice versa.”
Higgins sees Loudoun County Schools Policy 8040 as a violation of Title IX and an example of progressive overreach.
“Policy 8040 welcomes students to use opposite locker rooms with zero concern for student safety or privacy,” he said.
Despite multiple efforts to pass legislation banning biological males from competing in women’s sports or entering female locker rooms, Higgins says Democrat lawmakers have blocked debate at every turn.
“The first time, the bill was not given a fair hearing as it was lumped with a completely unrelated bill and summarily killed after limited testimony. The second time, it was never given a hearing at all. While this issue is receiving attention at the federal level, it is still a huge issue in Loudoun.” Higgins also reiterated his opposition to the policy during a recent Loudoun County School Board meeting, continuing to position himself as a leading critic of progressive education policies.Several of Higgins’ other priorities were blocked in the House, despite bipartisan or local support.
“I carried a bill to expand Virtual Virginia online learning materials to all public school students,” he said. “Currently, it is already developed and available, but restricted to high school students.”
Despite broad support for these efforts, Higgins faced frustrating setbacks in the legislature that he says highlight partisan resistance to common-sense education reforms.
“This initiative was brought to me by a Loudoun father whose middle school son wanted to learn additional material on his own time in order to get ahead, but was prohibited,” Higgins said. “Somehow, this bill was killed on a party-line vote because some Delegates were afraid that kids might learn math that was ‘inappropriate’ or too advanced! Ironically, the next bill heard in the committee was intended to restrict access to inappropriate pornographic materials by underage children, and it was voted down on party lines as well. So, pornography is ‘appropriate’ for our children, but advanced math is not.”
Other proposals, such as a Parents’ Bill of Rights, school panic buttons and measures to keep transmission lines within existing easements, also failed to get traction.
“These bills were killed not on their merits, but thanks to vindictive partisan games,” he said.
If re-elected, Higgins promises to reintroduce many of his blocked bills and pursue new legislation to limit power lines and data centers in inappropriate locations.
“In 2025, I voted for HB1601, a bill that attempted to protect homes, historic sites, and nature from new data center development, but I do believe we can come up with better, stronger legislation that strengthens local authority and protects places that are not good locations for data centers,” Higgins said.
He also expressed support for HB2084, which aimed to shield regular ratepayers from bearing infrastructure costs associated with data centers.
Higgins also supports banning sanctuary cities and increasing coordination with federal immigration enforcement, citing local tragedies allegedly involving illegal immigrants.
“Despite our area being shaken by multiple homicides and a rape perpetrated by criminal illegal immigrants who should have been deported, this bill never got a hearing,” he said. “We are lucky in Loudoun and Fauquier to have great Sheriffs who work closely with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but unfortunately, they cannot stop radicals in Fairfax from continuing to release criminal illegal immigrants into our communities.”
On social media Higgins recently touted his endorsement from the Virginia Police Benevolent Association.
His track record on conservation includes efforts to protect historic sites like Oak Hill and to support local farms and vineyards against invasive species like the spotted lanternfly.
Issues like DEI mandates and transgender participation in sports continue to polarize voters. Social issues, such as men participating in women’s sports and DEI mandates, are highly controversial and politically charged.
Around 80% of the general population does not support these positions, which are often promoted by vocal minorities.
“As your delegate, I am here to listen and represent the interests of my constituents,” Higgins said. “If you believe there is something I need to know or a way in which I can better serve you, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m all ears, and I am always up for a challenge!”
