Democrats on Tuesday held onto control of the Virginia Senate and have flipped the House of Delegates, according to unofficial returns.
The results from the Virginia Department of Elections and the Virginia Public Access Project show 21 Democratic seats in the Senate to 18 Republicans, with one race in the Peninsula area still undecided.
In the House, Democrats won 51 seats to the Republicans’ 48, with one race in the Petersburg/Dinwiddie area yet to be called.
The results constitute a rebuke to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who had called on Virginia voters to give him a Republican General Assembly and promising, among other things, a 15-week abortion ban if they did.
In at least one area race, a Democratic candidate campaigned explicitly on that scenario: Democrat Russet Perry, an ex-CIA officer, defeated Republican Juan Pablo Segura for the Senate seat in District 31, comprising parts of Loudoun and Fauquier counties — one of two legislative districts that went for Youngkin in 2021 but were carried by Democrats Tuesday.
The Virginia General Assembly results won’t be official until certified by the Virginia Department of Elections. Mail-in ballots still need to be counted; early voting ballots already have been.
In the House
All incumbents in the Northern Virginia area were reelected in the Virginia House.
In open races:
- Democrat Karen Keys-Gamarra defeated Republican Luellan Maskeny in District 7 (Western Fairfax);
- Democrat Laura Jane Cohen defeated Republican Marcus Evans in District 15 (Fairfax County);
- Democrat Josh Thomas beat Republican Josh Stirrup in District 21 (Prince William County), which Youngkin won in 2021;
- Republican Ian Lovejoy defeated Democrat Travis Nembhard in District 22 (Prince William County);
- Democrat Kannan Srinivasan defeated Republican Rafi Khaja in District 26 (Loudoun County);
- Democrat Atoosa Reaser defeated Republican Chris Harnisch in District 27 Loudoun County);
- Democrat Marty Martinez beat Republican Jonathan Rogers in District 29 (Loudoun County), and
- Republican Geary Higgins beat Democrat Rob Banse in District 30 (Loudoun and Fauquier counties).
In the Senate
Del. Danica Roem, a Democrat, has beaten Republican Bill Woolf for the District 30 seat in Prince William County and Manassas. That makes her the first openly transgender member of the Virginia Senate.
Democrat Russet Perry has defeated Republican Juan Pablo Segura in District 31 (Loudoun and Fauquier counties). Democrat Suhas Subramanyam has defeated Republican Greg Moulthrop in District 32 (Loudoun County) and Democrat Jennifer Carroll Foy defeated Republican Mike Van Meter in District 33, which covers parts of Prince William and Fairfax counties.
Local Races
Arlington
Susan Cunningham and Maureen Coffey have won seats on the Arlington County Board.
Fairfax County
The Washington Post is reporting that all 12 successful candidates for the School Board were backed by local Democrats, calling it a sign of “voter satisfaction with the Democratic-backed school board’s actions over the past four years,” some of which have led to clashes with Youngkin.
Half the 12 members will be new to the board next year — Mateo Dunn, Marcia St. John-Cunning, Robyn Lady, Kyle McDaniel, and former members Ryan L. McElveen and Ilryong Moon.
James Walkinshaw, James Bierman, Rodney Lusk, Walter Alcorn, Andres Jimenez, Daniel Storch, Dalia Palchik, Patrick Herrity, and Kathy Smith have all been reelected to their Board of Supervisors seats. All but Herrity are Democrats.
Four incumbents — Howard Springsteen, Jessica Ramakis, Charles Anderson and Ray Brill — as well as newcomer Roy Baldwin have been elected to the Vienna Town Council.
Fauquier County
Kevin Carter, Daron Culbertson, A. Regan Washer, and Ike Broaddus have been elected to the Board of Supervisors. Steven Lee Lewis, Danielle Dean, and M. Clay Campbell have been elected to the school board, and Eric Gagnon was elected to the Fifth Ward Town Council seat in Warrenton.
Loudoun County
Republican Bob Anderson leads Democratic incumbent Buta Biberaj in the race for commonwealth’s attorney, but Biberaj has not conceded.
All incumbents in the running won reelection their Board of Supervisors seats; Democrat Laura TeKrony appears to have beaten Republican Ram Venkatachalam for the Little River District seat.
On the school board, most of Tuesday’s winners were newcomers. Two Republican-backed candidates appear to have knocked off Democratic-backed incumbents — Deana Griffiths over Harris Mahedavi in the Ashburn District, and Lauren Shernoff over Erika Ogedegbe in the Leesburg District — but The Washington Post reports that Democratic-endorsed candidates will continue to be in the majority.
Caleb Stought appears to have beaten Chris Reed in the special election for the town council seat in Purcellville.
Prince William County
Deshundra Jefferson, a Democratic newcomer, has defeated Republican Supervisor Jeanine Crandall in the race for chair of the Prince William Board of Supervisors.
Most of the incumbents running for their seats on the board of supervisors and school board won reelection, although Republican Thomas Gordy beat Democrat Jim Gehlsen for the open Brentsville District seat on the board of supervisors. On the school board, Erica Tredinnick unseated Adele Jackson for the Brentsville District seat while in open seats, Tracy Blake won in the Neabsco District, and R.M. Jessie won in the Occoquan District.
Stafford County
Deuntay Diggs, Tinesha Allen, and Crystal Vanuch were elected to Stafford County Board of Supervisors seats, while Susan Randall, Elizabeth Warner and Patricia Healy were elected to the school board.
Other issues
Voters in Manassas Park have rejected a parimutuel wagering proposal, and Richmond voters struck down a casino gambling proposal.
All bond issues appear to have passed.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
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