By Catherine Ford
Commonwealth Strategy Group
What was anticipated to be a Red Tsunami dwindled into more of a Red Ripple by the time results were announced. Virginia had three highly contested House races that drew national media attention over the last six months as early polls showed Republican challengers were gaining on incumbent Democratic seats.
VA – 07
District 7 was the most competitive House race in the Commonwealth this year and perhaps even the country. Democratic incumbent Abigail Spanberger was able to hold off GOP challenger and Trump-endorsed candidate Yesli Vega in what proved to be a tight race. This district moved away from the Richmond area to Fredericksburg and Prince William County, which proved to be the driver of Democratic voter turnout. Spanberger’s victory was a sign that the night would not be as great a victory for Republicans as originally thought. Governor Glenn Younkin won this district by 6 percentage points in his election last year.
VA – 02
Republican State Senator and nurse practitioner Jen Kiggans defeated Democratic incumbent Elaine Luria in another competitive race in Virginia Beach. The military-heavy district had become more favorable for Republicans after it was redrawn last year. Like her Republican counterpart in VA – 07, Kiggans underperformed in this district that Governor Youngkin won by 11 points last year. Kiggans’ win will trigger a special election to fill the state Senate vacancy.
VA – 10
Democratic incumbent Jennifer Wexton held off Republican challenger Hung Cao in Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, which is in the western part of Northern Virginia. In the third of three competitive Virginia races, the GOP was hopeful Cao would be able to flip the blue seat in efforts to definitively take the House of Representatives.
Elsewhere, both Richmond-area races proved to be easy wins for both incumbent representatives: Rob Wittman (R) from District 1 and Don McEachin (D) from District 4. Bond referendums in Henrico and Chesterfield passed overwhelmingly, as well. Poll workers in Richmond and Chesterfield reported having some difficulty in checking in some voters Tuesday morning, but officials said no one was disenfranchised as a result. Some voters who could not be checked in were asked to go to different precincts to cast their ballot.
For more information, please contact the team at Commonwealth Strategy Group. Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) is a great election resource for the details down to the precinct: Results: Virginia – U.S. House
Please stay engaged as we prepare for the 2023 Virginia General Assembly elections in all 140 districts.
