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Democrats sweep three major races in Virginia
It was a big night for Democrats in Virginia as the seats for governor, lieutenant governor and attroney general all flipped blue. This has been a closely watched race with some political experts saying this election could serve as a bellwether ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. FOX 5's Tom Fitzgerald and Jim Lokay discuss the big swing.
WASHINGTON - It was a big night for Democrats in Virginia.
Not only did the Democratic candidates sweep the state's three major races — governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general — the party also picked up 13 seats in the House of Delegates, giving them a hefty majority of 64-35, with one race remaining undecided.
The blue wave
Dig deeper:
This is a significant expansion of the Democrats' power in the state House, taking their previously slim 51-49 majority up.
Virginia typically swings between Democrats and Republicans, and the outcomes often serves as a bellwether to determine the electorate's mood going into the next election.
The seats that flipped, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, include:
- Prince William County
- Stafford County
- Loudoun/Fauquier
- Western Henrico
- Spotsylvania/Caroline County
- Peninsula Virginia
- Western Chesterfield
- Petersburg/Dinwidde
- Chesapeake/Suffolk
- Blacksburg/Roanoake County
- James City/Williamsburg
- Chesterfield/Hopewell
- Hampton/York/Poquoson
The only race that remains undecided is Danville/Pittsylvania/Halifax.
While it appears that the state is leaning left, its yet to be seen what will happen in the 2026 midterms.
Virginia redistricting battle
New impacts:
Virginia Democrats have been pushing to redraw the state's congressional districts in recent weeks.
They say it's in response to the Trump administration's efforts to redraw districts in several states, to ensure that Republicans continue to hold the majority in Congress.
Some political analysts describe what’s taking place nationwide and in the Commonwealth as "gerrymandering," saying it’s not good for America, but with both parties doing it, Virginia Democrats are saying it’s fair game.
Now with the House of Delegates solidly in their hands and the governor's office flipped, their efforts to redistrict may not be much of a fight at all.
Speaking with FOX 5's Jim Lokay on the Final 5, longtime political analyst Chuck Todd said Speaker of the House Don Scott believes Democrats could move quickly to redraw political boundaries in a special session immediately following the inauguration.
"The first major issue a new governor could face isn’t one they campaigned on — it’s redistricting," Todd said.
He says the move could set the tone for the Spanberger administration, which will already face challenges from day one in a typically purple state that has decidedly turned from the grasp of the Trump administration.