RESULTS: Democrats battle to retain control of the Virginia House of Delegates
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- Virginia Democrats are fighting to maintain their control of the House of Delegates.
- Democrats are just five seats away from losing their 55-45 majority in the chamber.
- Polls in Virginia closed at 7 pm ET. Follow along for live results.
What's at stake:
The gubernatorial race between Terry McAuliffe and Glenn Youngkin has garnered the most attention out of the 2021 elections in Virginia. But the battle for control of the state legislature is also a key test of Democratic strength in the Old Dominion State and has broad implications for whoever is elected governor.
Virginia, once a thoroughly conservative southern state, turned blue at the presidential level in 2008 and has since only backed Democratic presidential nominees. Much of the leftward movement in the state is concentrated in the state's growing and diversifying suburbs, particularly in Northern Virginia. The blue shift took longer to materialize down-ballot, and traditionally, the party in the White House has faced a tougher environment in Virginia's off-year elections.
In 2019, following a national anti-Trump blue wave in the midterms, Democrats won control of both of Virginia's state legislative chambers for the first time in two decades. They came close in 2017, but a tied race decided by a random drawing went to the Republican candidate and gave the GOP a 51-seat majority in the chamber.
Democrats now hold 55 seats in the chamber compared to Republicans' 45, putting them just five seats away from losing their majority.
CNalysis, which handicaps and forecasts state legislative races, has rated control of the chamber as a tossup and six districts, all held by Democrats, as tilting Republican. In Northern Virginia, they include the Loudoun and Fredrick County-based 10th District held by Del. Wendy Gooditis, and the 28th District, represented by Del. Joshua Cole.
CNalysis has also rated the 83rd District, represented by Del. Nancy Guy, and the 85th, held by Del. Alex Askew, which are located in the Norfolk-Virginia Beach area as tilt Republican, in addition to the 75th District, held by Del. Roslyn Tyler, the 48th District held by Del. Rodney Willett in the Richmond suburbs. They've rated the Blacksburg-based 12th District, held by Del. Chris Hurst, as leans Republican.
And while Democrats are now mostly on the defense, they do have a couple of pickup opportunities in the Richmond area: the open 66th District is rated tilt Republican, and the 27th District, held by Republican Del. Roxann Robinson, is rated as "leans Republican" by CNalysis.
Since Democrats took control of Virginia's House of Delegates nearly two years ago, the majority has passed a slew of progressive policies, including raising the minimum wage, abolishing the death penalty, legalizing marijuana, and mandating background checks for gun purchases.
Democrats have also gotten rid of some abortion restrictions, passed criminal justice reforms - including abolishing no-knock warrants and implementing minimum standards for police training, and created a goal of transitioning the state's electric utilities to 100% green energy by 2050.
Republicans in Virginia are focusing their messaging on culture war issues, including fighting COVID-19 vaccine mandates and accusing Democrats of undermining the will of parents, and hope to tie state lawmakers to President Joe Biden, whose approval rating has dipped to new lows in recent months amid rising inflation, slow-moving legislative negotiations in Washington, and the US's messy withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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