House District 82 Rematch Could Help Decide Control Of Virginia's Legislature

By Charlotte Rene Woods, Virginia Mercury

October 16, 2025

Familiar rivals face off again in House District 82, where Del. Kim Taylor, R-Petersburg, hopes to fend off Democratic challenger Kimberly Pope Adams in a high-stakes rematch.

The “Kim versus Kim” contest was the closest House race in 2023, when Adams lost to Taylor by just 53 votes. With all 100 House of Delegates seats on the ballot this year, the district is once again among the most competitive and could help determine which party controls the chamber.

The Petersburg-anchored district stretches into suburbs and rural areas of Dinwiddie, Prince George and Surry counties. Both candidates are lifelong residents who raised their families in the region and tout their financial expertise as an asset they can bring to Richmond.

Campaign finance reports show a stark contrast in fundraising between the two candidates. As of the latest filings, Taylor has raised about $634,734, while Pope Adams has brought in roughly $1 million, giving her a significant financial edge.

Their opposing party loyalties, however, could have major implications for House control and for three constitutional amendments moving through the General Assembly.

Having already cleared once, the amendments must pass again next year before appearing on statewide ballots for voter approval or rejection. Two — guaranteeing same-sex marriage rights and restoring voting rights for ex-felons — advanced with bipartisan support earlier this year, while a third proposal to enshrine reproductive rights int the Virginia Constitution passed narrowly under Democratic control. Every Republican, including Taylor, voted against it.

Kimberly Pope Adams

Adams said her party can count on her to help shepherd the amendments across the finish line next year.

She also wants to bring her financial background to the legislature if elected. Her experience as an accountant and auditor, she said, would make her an asset to the House Appropriations Committee.

“It’s not just about counting the money. It’s about finding efficiency. It’s about finding process improvements. It’s about finding cost savings,” Adams said.

She said the state budget is a top concern amid federal funding cuts, federal workforce layoffs and upcoming changes to hospital funding and Medicaid that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates could cause millions of Americans to lose health care.

At the start of this year’s legislative session, Virginia lawmakers debated how to invest a budget surplus that Gov. Glenn Youngkin later withheld as a “cushion” for actions taken by President Donald Trump’s administration. He has since further touted the state’s rainy day fund, but has downplayed Virginia’s potential need to offset looming Medicaid losses.

“These cuts are coming,” Adams said, adding that she wants the state to be ready.

While reproductive rights loomed large over her 2023 race against Taylor, the issue remains central this year. In 2023, many Republicans supported a Youngkin-backed 15-week abortion limit. The proposal included exceptions for rape and incest but not for severe fetal anomaly exceptions —- many of which are not detected or confirmed until after 15 weeks.

Though she lost that election, Adams shared her personal experience of having a miscarriage at 12 weeks. In her case, her body completed the miscarriage naturally, but she noted that some failed pregnancies require abortion medication or a dilation and curettage procedure to prevent infection and sepsis.

The range of reproductive healthcare needs, she said, continues to drive her desire to serve in the legislature. On the constitutional amendments overall, Adams said it’s vital that Virginians have a chance to weigh in at the ballot box next year and critiqued her opponent for not supporting giving constituents the chance on the reproductive rights one.

Kim Taylor

As the co-owner of three auto repair shops with her husband, Taylor has brought her perspective as a small business owner to the legislature.

Taylor has frequently appeared alongside Youngkin to promote the “Partnership For Petersburg,” an initiative he has spearheaded for several years to boost the local economy.

In a 2023 statement to The Mercury, Taylor called the effort“ a great coalition” and said that her team had been in regular contact with voters in Petersburg.

“They are optimistic about the future of Petersburg,” she wrote. “Like me, they are proud and want the best for their families, businesses and town.”

Taylor did not respond to interview requests for this article, so further details could not be discussed. However, The Mercury reviewed her past statements and campaign material to outline her priorities if re-elected.

As a delegate, she has supported efforts to cut taxes and reduce government regulation. She has also aligned with her party in pushing to give parents more authority and input in public education decisions, such as curriculum content and access to gendered bathrooms.

Recognizing the district’s rural makeup, Taylor has also supported expanding broadband access — a frequently bipartisan goal that can strengthen economic growth and telehealth services.

With reproductive health again emerging as a key issue, Taylor has sought to strike a nuanced stance.

Earlier this year, she introduced a bill to codify protections for medical treatments addressing nonviable pregnancies. Because there is no national definition of viability, such determinations are usually made by physicians on a case-by-case basis.

Under Taylor’s bill, a “nonviable pregnancy” was defined as one that “cannot result in a live-born infant, including an ectopic pregnancy or failed intrauterine pregnancy.”

Like Adams, Taylor has shared publicly that she experienced a miscarriage.

Her bill was effectively blocked by Democrats, who control the chamber and did not schedule it for a committee vote. Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia Executive Director Jamie Lockart criticized the proposal at the time as a “political stunt” rather than a genuine effort to improve access to health care.

Lockart argued that existing Virginia law already provides clear protections for most abortion and miscarriage care, along with guidance for later-stage procedures.

“We hear so often from the other side that this is a health care crisis, and that women are dying because there is an unclear standard of care,” Taylor told The Mercury at the time.

“Miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies are nonviable pregnancies, and therefore cannot be confused with elective abortion procedures,” she said. “This would have put any doubt about the law to rest.”

Taylor’s bill also gave her a chance to go on the record about an issue that has become a vulnerability for Republicans in recent years. Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned federal abortion protections, Virginia Republicans have proposed a range of restrictions — from life-at-conception and near-total bans to the 15-week limit.

An early October poll by Christopher Newport University found that economic issues, inflation and threats to democracy were top concerns for Virginia voters, along with healthcare — a category that includes reproductive rights. Respondents gave Democrats the edge on handling major issues, according to the survey, which reported a 95% confidence level.

With early voting underway and Election Day approaching, additional polling in the coming weeks could further clarify how those priorities may shape the outcome.

This story was originally published by the Virginia Mercury. For more stories from the Virginia Mercury, visit VirginiaMercury.com.