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Star News TV
Southside, VA. — Apparently, 22 is no longer considered too young to jump into Virginia politics. At least that's the position of Maeve McCulloch, who became the first candidate to reach out to Star News TV about the developing Democratic contest for the 48th District House of Delegates seat.
And she's already making some interesting comments.
McCulloch, a current Ridgeway Town Councilwoman, isn't backing away from the age question. She told Star News she doesn't believe being 22 makes her too young to serve in the Virginia House of Delegates.
She also revealed that she has already met with her potential Democratic primary opponent, Melody Cartwright. McCulloch described the meeting as cordial.
But there's more happening behind the scenes.
Star News has learned that there is interest within the Democratic Party in giving Cartwright a primary challenge. McCulloch, however, told us she doesn't know anything about those discussions.
Then came one of the more surprising moments in our conversation.
When discussing politics and policy, McCulloch acknowledged that she agrees with Republican incumbent Delegate Eric Phillips on a number of issues.
That's a little different from the usual political script, where candidates are often expected to disagree simply because they belong to different parties.
WHAT ABOUT DATA CENTERS?
We also asked McCulloch where she stands on the growing data center debate, an issue with significant implications for Southside Virginia.
She didn't offer an immediate position. Instead, she told Star News she wants to do more research and plans to get back to us Wednesday with an answer.
We'll be looking forward to hearing what she has to say.
THE 48TH DISTRICT RACE IS GETTING INTERESTING
According to the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP), McCulloch has entered the Democratic contest against Cartwright, who has already announced plans to run again in 2027.
McCulloch has served on Ridgeway Town Council since 2022. She previously announced plans to seek the Virginia Senate District 7 seat in 2027, making her move toward the House of Delegates another interesting development in the local political landscape.
The 48th District represents the City of Martinsville and portions of Henry and Pittsylvania counties.
The winner of the Democratic nomination would face Republican incumbent Eric Phillips in the November 2, 2027 general election.
So, we have a 22-year-old candidate, an established Democratic contender, a Republican incumbent, and a debate over everything from data centers to political philosophy.
And the campaign is still in its early stages.
One thing is certain: Star News has questions, and we'll be asking them.
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