Affordability, health care access, and adequate resources for the region are among the top issues for the candidates in one of Virginia’s most competitive House races.
The District 89 seat is up for grabs in November. Republican incumbent Baxter Ennis, who served one term, isn’t seeking reelection.
Following June primaries, Democrat Karen “Kacey” Carnegie and Republican Mike Lamonea face off for a two-year term to represent part of Suffolk and a significant chunk of western Chesapeake.
All Virginia House seats are on the ballot this year. District 89 is considered competitive, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, and 70% is in Chesapeake, where both candidates live.
It’s become an expensive race, as the seat could help make a majority for either party. Both have received big-dollar donations from respective party leadership and PACs, according to VPAP.
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Carnegie has raised more, and most of the $495,085 she’s collected as of Aug. 31 comes from donations under $100. She’s also received $50,000 from Clean Virginia Fund, $50,000 from the House Democratic Caucus, $20,000 from Green Advocacy Project and $5,000 from Prince Williams Firefighters. She also took in in-kind donation of $14,196 from Planned Parenthood Virginia.
Lamonea, meanwhile, has received $361,519, including a $12,500 loan from himself. Most of his donations come from larger contributions, including $55,000 from former Del. Todd Gilbert, $20,250 from Moving Mountains PAC, $20,000 from the Republican Commonwealth Leadership PAC and $10,000 from Dominion Energy.
Affordability
Carnegie, 42, is an attorney with Carnegie Law Group who specializes in estate planning, conservatorships, guardianships and probate law. She’s also a judge-appointed guardian ad litem for children and adults.
Carnegie said her priority is “a family-first economy,” and supports legislation to raise Virginia’s minimum wage and reevaluate Virginia’s flat tax income rate. She suggested a tiered tax system in which “those who earn less don’t pay more, and those who earn more are paying their fair share.”
“So an economy that has to work for everyone, not just people who are well connected,” she said in an interview. “That’s going to mean investing in small businesses, affordable housing, raising the minimum wage, expanding job training so people can build a good life right here in Chesapeake and Suffolk.”
Lamonea, 52, is a Chesapeake School Board member and retired special agent and executive with ICE Homeland Security Investigations. Lamonea said he would support eliminating the personal property tax on vehicles, often called the “car tax.” He also supports slashing the grocery tax.
Both candidates support looking to the General Assembly’s almost $3 billion surplus to consider the tax reductions.
Health care access
Democrats in the 2025 General Assembly session unsuccessfully pushed to place a constitutional amendment on a ballot that, if approved by Virginia voters, would codify a right to reproductive freedom, including abortion access. Carnegie, who said both her daughters were born thanks to in vitro fertilization, supports the amendment.
Lamonea, however, said while he’s open to the discussion of abortion access, he doesn’t support the amendment as it’s been proposed — taking issue with what he deemed a lack of parental consent and abortions “up to birth.”
Virginia law allows most abortions up to around 26 weeks of pregnancy, while later abortions require three doctors to determine that a continuing pregnancy would threaten the mother’s life. Minors are required to obtain parental or guardian consent unless they petition a judge for authorizations.
The constitutional amendment would allow Virginia to regulate abortion care “in the third trimester when it is medically indicated to protect the life or health of the pregnant individual or when the fetus is not viable.”
Carnegie also said she’d support getting rid of Virginia’s Medicaid trigger law, which would effectively remove Virginians from Medicaid if federal funding is pulled. Lamonea supports access to Medicaid, sharing that his brother with special needs relies on it to survive.
Carnegie also said she would support legislation capping health insurance premiums.
757 Votes: The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press 2025 election guide
District resources
Chesapeake and Suffolk have seen population growth in the past decade. Additionally, more land is available for development in both compared with other cities in the region. But residents value the cities’ agricultural and rural character, posing challenges for managing growth.
Both candidates said they support maximizing infrastructure support and resources so Chesapeake and Suffolk can adequately keep up with growth and development. Lamonea said he’d like to help localities improve construction timelines for big projects.
Both emphasized the need to support resources for local schools, first responders and law enforcement.
They see the need for data centers, but Carnegie said they should be regulated to minimize impacts, and operators — not nearby residents — should be responsible for covering energy bill increases. Lamonea said citizen input on such projects is key.
Lamonea said he wants to expand career center opportunities and give teachers and parents more of a voice.
“I want to make sure that we don’t have boys in girls sports as well,” he added.
Natalie Anderson, 757-732-1133, natalie.anderson@virginiamedia.com
