When the next General Assembly gavels into session in January, Northern Virginia will have zero Republican members.
Republican Delegate Geary Higgins was ousted from his seat in Loudoun County, and Republican Delegate Ian Lovejoy lost his seat in Prince William County. They were the last remaining Republicans in Northern Virginia, which now has zero Republicans representing the region in the state House or state Senate.
"I don't think it's entirely unexpected, and the trend lines have been there for some time," says Republican strategist Jeff Ryer. "I do think that's what happens when you have a wave election. And this was a wave election."
Democratic strategist Ben Tribbett says driving down I-95 from Northern Virginia, you have to get to Hanover County before you get to a Republican district.
"What's next? Hanover County is going to fall? It's the only one left? It's crazy and almost unimaginable for those of us who have been doing this a while," Tribbett says. "It feels like an alternate reality, but I think this speaks to these candidates getting elected on Abigail's coattails."
But those coattails won't be there two years from now, when the top of the ticket will be the state Senate races. And all 13 of the House seats that flipped this week will be targeted by Republicans as pickup opportunities.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
