Virginia Has a New Majority
Last Tuesday, Virginians went to the polls to elect all 140 members of the state legislature. As one of only three states with a major off-year election, the outcome of this election shaped the new face of Virginia and was heralded as a potential bellwether for next year’s Presidential election. With a record turnout of nearly 40% (compared to only 29% in 2015), Virginians elected a Democratic majority in both the Senate and House of Delegates, turning Virginia solidly ‘blue’ for the first time in 26 years. Democrats now control the Senate with a 21-19 majority and the House of Delegates with a 55-45 majority.
Even though every seat in the General Assembly was up for grabs, the partisan flip came down to a few specific races, where Democrats managed to take seats away from Republican incumbents or win in districts where Republicans were retiring. No Democratic incumbents lost their seats in this year’s elections.
What does this mean for Virginia?
For years, the Democrats in Virginia have been trying to pursue an agenda that has largely been stymied by those in the Republican majority. With their newfound control of the state government, Democrats have already begun to announce new policy priorities. In a cabinet meeting last week, Governor Ralph Northam announced that Democrats would be using their majority to address new gun control measures, a raise in the minimum wage, the decriminalization of marijuana, and measures to allow localities to take down Confederate statues. These promises will all be tested in the next General Assembly, which begins on January 10, 2020.
Whether there is a concerted Democratic effort surrounding these efforts remains to be seen. On Saturday, Delegate Eileen Filler-Corn made history when unanimously voted the next speaker of the House of Delegates. She will be the first woman and Jewish politician to ever hold the role.
