Virginia

Democrats see historic gains in Virginia’s House of Delegates races

Published

5 months ago

November 5, 2025

Democrats see historic gains in Virginia’s House of Delegates races

By 10 p.m. on election night, just three hours after polls closed, Democrats had flipped nearly one dozen seats from Republican incumbents.

Want more election coverage?

Cardinal covered races across Southwest and Southside. For more election stories, click here.

By 11:30 p.m., they had picked up two more.

The party picked up seats from the city of Roanoke to Petersburg to Spotsylvania County and Northern Virginia and others, after they knocked out incumbents in 13 districts.

House of Delegates District 41 was among those that flipped from red to blue. Democratic challenger Lily Franklin had a 2.46 percentage point lead over incumbent Republican Del. Chris Obenshain, of Montgomery County, by 10:45 p.m.

This year’s race for the 41st District was a rematch between Obenshain and Franklin after the latter lost by 183 votes in 2023 once provisional ballots were counted. That race was not called until nearly one week after Election Day.

“Lily Franklin ran a spirited campaign. She earned a lot of votes, and she has earned my respect,” Obenshain said in his concession statement. “Tonight was a setback not just for me, but also for the causes I have championed and the people I have sought to represent. Ultimately though, the voters have the final word and while this result is disappointing, I respect their decision tonight.”

In a statement released Tuesday evening, Franklin said, “I’m deeply honored by the trust the people of the 41st District have placed in me. Folks are ready for new leadership.”

“Virginians turned out in force to support candidates who embody the very best of who we are – champions of fairness and truth over the forces of bigotry and deceit,” state Sen. Lamont Bagby, chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia, said in a statement.

Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger will enter office with a trifecta, with the governor’s seat, the state Senate and House of Delegates all under the same party. She will be the first Democratic governor to do so in nearly 40 years, according to the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee.

“Democrats, we’re back,” said House of Delegates Speaker Don Scott during a speech in Richmond on election night. “Tonight we shocked the world.”

The Portsmouth Democrat added that Virginia sent a message of love and unity over hate and division to the country.

“We just made history tonight. … Not only did we keep the majority in the House tonight, I think we’re at 57 seats. And we’re not done counting,” he said just before 10 p.m. on election night.

Here’s how the rest of Virginia’s Southwest and Southside House of Delegates races shook out

The political makeup of Southwest and Southside Virginia remained largely unchanged.

Most incumbents held onto their seats, and new Republican candidates for open seats in districts 46 and 49 won their elections: Mitchell Cornett won Del. Jed Arnold’s seat, and Madison Whittle won Del. Danny Marshall’s seat. Arnold, of Smyth County, did not seek reelection, citing his wife’s health concerns. Marshall, of Danville, declined to seek reelection to undergo lung transplant surgery. He is currently recovering from that surgery.

District 35 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Chris Runion, Rockingham County

District 36 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Ellen Campbell, Waynesboro

District 37 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Terry Austin, Botetourt County

District 38 winner: incumbent Democratic Del. Sam Rasoul, Roanoke

District 39 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Will Davis, Franklin County

District 40 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Joe McNamara, Roanoke County

District 41 winner: Democratic challenger Lily Franklin (seat flipped)

District 42 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Jason Ballard, Giles County

District 43 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Will Morefield, Tazewell County

District 44 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Israel O’Quinn, Washington County

District 45 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Terry Kilgore, Scott County

District 46 winner: Republican Mitchell D. Cornett

District 47 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Wren Williams, Patrick County

District 48 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Eric Phillips, Henry County

District 49 winner: Republican Madison Whittle

District 50 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Tommy Wright, Lunenburg County

District 51 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Eric Zehr, Campbell County

District 52 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Wendell Walker, Lynchburg

District 53 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Tim Griffin, Bedford County

District 56 winner: incumbent Republican Del. Tom Garrett, Louisa County

Virginia

Virginia’s Spanberger Approves Workplace Heat Safety Standards

Published

9 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Virginia’s Spanberger Approves Workplace Heat Safety Standards

Virginia will join a growing list of states with workplace heat safety standards that private-sector employers must follow under legislation approved by Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D).

The bill (SB 288) tasks the state’s Safety and Health Codes Board with creating standards for indoor and outdoor workplaces no later than May 1, 2028, adding Virginia to a handful of states that have dictated heat safety protocols in the absence of a federal standard.

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration continued work on developing a national heat safety rule in 2025, but President Donald Trump’s deregulatory goals are likely to yield a more employer-friendly standard than those passed in Democratic-majority states.

Virginia employers will be required to provide water, access to shade, rest periods, acclimatization, and training for working in heat. High-heat procedures would take effect at a temperature threshold to be determined by the board in its rulemaking.

Deciding on an appropriate temperature threshold to trigger protections has been a notable challenge, both in state proposals and OSHA’s federal regulatory efforts.

California, Maryland, Minnesota, Oregon, and Washington state have mandated workplace heat safety standards, while Colorado has imposed a standard specific to agriculture workers.

Virginia regulators previously considered a workplace heat safety proposal but halted the rulemaking process in late 2021, with some board members citing concerns it would conflict or be redundant with the federal regulation that they thought at the time would be implemented soon.

Source link

Virginia

Bill signing aims to bolster horse racing industry in West Virginia

Published

21 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Bill signing aims to bolster horse racing industry in West Virginia

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. (WCHS) — Gov. Patrick Morrisey signaled support for the horse racing industry in West Virginia through a bill signing Monday.

Senate Bill 1060 updates laws to include certified thoroughbred horses and raises a funding cap for restricted races from $1 million to $2 million.

The measure allows horses that have lived in West Virginia for six months to compete for larger purses. State leaders are hopeful the move will incentivize out-of-state horse owners to relocate to West Virginia.

In addition, the bill would allow licensed racing associations to transmit broadcasts of races with a portion of wagers going toward the West Virginia Thoroughbred Development Fund.

Changes will go into effect on June 7.

BE THE FIRST TO COMMENT

Currently, horse races are held in West Virginia’s panhandles, at the Mountaineer Racetrack and Resort in New Cumberland and the Hollywood Casino in Charles Town.

Source link

Virginia

Virginia Beach police investigate teen brawl at Nova Adventure Park

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Virginia Beach police investigate teen brawl at Nova Adventure Park

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Virginia Beach police are investigating after a large crowd of teens were fighting Saturday evening at Nova Adventure Park.

A Virginia Beach police officer was in the 2000 block of Lynnhaven Parkway at approximately 9:35 p.m. when a large group of teens started fighting. Additional officers arrived and the teenagers disbursed.

Police said at least one victim involved suffered an injury that was not life-threatening.

The incident is under active investigation.

Source link