STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. — A campaign mailer from Democrat Stacey Carroll accuses Republican incumbent Del. Paul Milde of having “turned his back” on women, veterans, and law enforcement. We reviewed the bills cited (and a few the flyer likely meant to cite), the official vote records, and the fine print. House District 64 is entirely within Stafford County, where voters will decide the Milde–Carroll race on Nov. 4, 2025.
Early voting is now underway.
Our verdicts at a glance
- Child marriage claim — Supported. Milde voted No on HB 994 (2024), which set Virginia’s marriage age at 18 with no exceptions. The bill passed and became law. (LegiScan)
- Abortion claim (“no-exceptions ban”) — Overstated. Milde voted No on SJ 247 (2025), a constitutional amendment to protect reproductive freedom. That shows opposition to abortion protections, but it’s not a vote for a “no-exceptions ban.” (LegiScan)
- Law-enforcement/public safety claim — Supported. Milde voted No on three domestic-violence firearm safety bills: HB 362 (2024), HB 1869 (2025), HB 1960 (2025), all of which passed the House and were later vetoed by the Governor. (LegiScan)
- Veterans claim — Weak/indirect. One cited bill (HB 2164, 2025) died in committee, so there is no recorded Milde vote; another (SB 823, 2025) is an energy-planning bill that includes a hiring priority for veterans—Milde voted No, but the veterans connection is indirect. (The flyer’s case here relies more on inference than votes.) (LegiScan)
- Miscitation — Incorrect. The flyer lists HB 944 (2024) under its “women/abortion” section. HB 944 is a Forest Sustainability Fund measure that passed 98–0, and Milde voted Yes—it is unrelated to abortion. (LegiScan)
What each claim rests on
“Voted to allow child marriages.” — True
- What the bill does: HB 994 (2024) established 18 as the minimum marriage age in Virginia, eliminating prior exceptions.
- Vote: House passage 55–42; the measure ultimately became law (Chapter 737, 2024). Milde: Nay. (LegiScan)
Why it matters: A No vote on HB 994 is fairly described as opposing the 18-only standard.
“Supported an extreme abortion ban with no exceptions.” — Overstated
- What the record shows: SJ 247 (2025) proposed a constitutional right to reproductive freedom; House agreed 51–46. Milde: Nay. (LegiScan)
What it isn’t: SJ 247 is not a ban, much less one “with no exceptions.” To support that specific line, the mailer would need to cite a ban bill with those words in the text and a recorded Yes vote from Milde. (The flyer instead miscites HB 944 (2024), a forest-fund bill, under its women/abortion block.) (LegiScan)
“Blocked safety reforms supported by law enforcement.” — Mostly true (based on DV firearm bills)
- HB 362 (2024) — Adds “intimate partner” to domestic-violence definitions and makes firearm possession after certain DV misdemeanors a Class 1 misdemeanor. House: 53–46; Milde: Nay. (LegiScan)
- HB 1869 (2025) — Similar DV-related firearm restrictions, with added definitions for cohabitants; House: 52–46; Milde: Nay. (Vetoed.) (LegiScan)
- HB 1960 (2025) — Tightens rules for transfers by prohibited persons (21+ non-cohabiting transferee; clerk notification); House: 50–46; Milde: Nay. (Vetoed.) (LegiScan)
Context: These are the kind of measures frequently cited by police and prosecutors in testimony as domestic-violence safety tools. The votes do match the flyer’s “blocked safety reforms” frame.
“Turned his back on veterans.” — Weakly supported
- HB 2164 (2025) — Would adjust a school funding formula to exclude tax-exempt property of disabled veterans/surviving spouses; it was left in Appropriations, so there is no House floor vote and no recorded Milde vote. Using it as a “he voted against veterans” example is misleading.
- SB 823 (2025) — Requires utility renewable projects to submit plans addressing local hiring, including veterans; House: 51–46; Milde: Nay; later vetoed. This ties to veterans only indirectly via hiring priority in an energy-siting bill. (LegiScan)
Fine print on the mailer
The piece states it was “Paid for by the Democratic Party of Virginia. Authorized by Stacey Carroll, candidate for Delegate.” Carroll is the Democratic nominee challenging Milde in HD-64. (Ballotpedia)
About House District 64
HD-64 is wholly within Stafford County under Virginia’s current maps. Voters can confirm district maps via Stafford County’s voting maps portal; VPAP and Ballotpedia list the seat and the 2025 Milde–Carroll matchup. (Stafford County VA)
Bottom line
- The mailer lands a clean hit on child marriage (HB 994).
- It makes a plausible but overstated case on abortion (a vote against a rights amendment is not a vote for a “no-exceptions ban”).
- It’s on firmer ground on domestic-violence gun-safety bills (HB 362/1869/1960), which Milde opposed.
- Its veterans line is thin, relying on an indirect energy bill and a committee-tabled measure without a Milde vote.
- And at least one citation (HB 944) is flat-out wrong for the abortion section.
Sources & vote records
HB 994 (2024) marriage age 18 — roll calls & chapter; SJ 247 (2025) reproductive freedom — House agreement; HB 362 (2024); HB 1869 (2025); HB 1960 (2025) — bill pages & vote logs; HD-64 jurisdictional references. (LegiScan)
