Virginia Democrats are taking full control of the statehouse for the first time in more than two decades. Democrats won majorities in both the state House and Senate in Tuesday’s legislative election.
This is the third election in a row that Virginia Democrats have made significant gains since President Donald Trump was elected. The win will give Democrats control of the legislature and governorship for the first time in 26 years. Democrats have pledged to pass new gun restrictions and raise the minimum wage.
While Democrats took the General Assembly for the first time in a quarter century, Republicans still hold sway in the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge area. Republican Chris Runion won retiring Delegate Steve Landes' 25th district seat. Other Republican incumbents won re-election easily, including state Senators Mark Obenshain in the 26th and Emmett Hanger in th 24th. And GOP Delegates Todd Gilbert and Tony Wilt won re-election by safe margins. In the 30th House district in Orange and Culpeper, Republican Delegate Nick Freitas won re-election as a write-in candidate after failing to file paperwork on time to get his name on the ballot.
