On Tuesday night, Democrats in Virginia retained their majority in the state Senate, a blow to Republicans who had hoped to gain full control of the state legislature and boost Gov. Glenn Youngkin in his final two years in office.
The GOP also lost control of the Virginia House of Delegates, and Democrats would gain at least 51 seats in the 100-member lower house.
Tuesday night represented the first good news for Democrats in the Commonwealth since Youngkin defeated former Gov. Terry McAuliffe in 2021, making gains in districts that had voted for President Biden 12 months earlier by running on issues like public safety and a greater role for parents in education. .
The results also demonstrated the limits of Republican messaging on key issues ahead of next year’s presidential and congressional elections.
“We have empowered parents and provided tutoring to combat learning loss; made historic investments in police and mental health services; signed $5 billion in tax relief and added 230,000 new jobs,” Youngkin declared in a Nov. 1 video announcement touting the successes of his administration.
Republicans missed the opportunity to gain full control of Virginia’s government, weakening Governor Glenn Youngkin.Getty Images
“Pick a Republican team to support me and I promise we will deliver,” he said.
Youngkin and Virginia Republicans had specifically pledged, if given both chambers in the General Assembly, to pass a 15-week abortion ban with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.
Those hopes were dashed Tuesday night, when Republican state Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant lost her seat in the 16th District, while Juan Pablo Segura failed to win the open 31st District in another key state Senate showdown.
On the House side, Dels. Joshua Cole and Karen Greenhalgh lost their seats in the 65th and 91st Districts, respectively, while John Stirrup narrowly missed a Republican victory in the 21st District.
A volunteer waits for voters seeking Democratic sample ballots in Virginia.REUTERS
In one of the most closely watched races of this election, Republican David Owen narrowly led his delegate race over Democrat Susanna Gibson early Wednesday morning.
Gibson appeared to be the favorite to defeat Owen in the 57th District before online sexual performances she live-streamed with her husband surfaced in September.
Democrats had touted Virginia as the only Southern state to defend its laws protecting abortion, while accusing Republican candidates across the state of harboring extreme positions on that issue, along with gun control and the right to abortion. to the vote.
“What we’ve discovered over the last two years is that mild-mannered, vest-wearing, basketball-playing dad is actually a MAGA extremist,” Virginia Democratic Party Chairwoman Susan Swecker told CNN, comparing the agenda of Youngkin with that of former President Donald Trump.
Maryland Governor Wes Moore speaks at a rally on behalf of Virginia Delegate Schuyler VanValkenburg.AP
“I’m sure as we tour the Commonwealth, campaign for our candidates and talk to voters, there is a lot of buyer’s remorse.”
The Democrats’ campaign effort included fundraisers and events headlined by high-profile Democrats such as House Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, as well as ads from radio narrated by former first lady Michelle Obama.
Biden, 80, also threw his weight into the race through a Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee fundraising email, saying “the stakes have never been higher.”
“Governor. “Glenn Youngkin and the extremist Republicans have made it clear that they are trying to take our country back on issues like the election,” Biden said.
Tuesday night represented the first good news for Democrats in the Commonwealth since Youngkin’s 2021 victory.AP
Democrats also had a fundraising advantage in Virginia, raking in a whopping $62 million for state Senate candidates and $48 million for House candidates this cycle, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, a non-partisan organization.
Virginia Republicans raised approximately $41 million and $37 million for Senate and House of Delegates candidates, respectively.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn