Richmond–In an election widely perceived as a national bellwether for voter sentiment, the voters of Virginia arrived at the polls this election season with a clear goal: to overwhelmingly reject the abuse of power, attacks on the rule of law, and naked corruption that have become a hallmark for so many conservative politicians. Though early votes are still being counted ins ome places, Abigail Spanberger handily defeated Winsome Earle-Sears with a 57%-42% margin of victory to become the first female governor of the Commonwealth. Ghazala Hashmi will be the Lieutenant Governor and has made history as the first Muslim woman elected to a statewide office, defeating John Reid by a margin of 55-44%. Jay Jones easily defeated incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares by a margin of 53-46%. The Democrats also increased their legislative majority in the House of Delegates, increasing their current 51-seat majority by 13 seats, giving them a 64-seat supermajority and paving the way for a slate of progressive legislation that had been hamstrung by former Governor Youngkin’s unusually expansive use of the veto.

“We don’t have kings in America, and Virginia voters came out in droves to demand a government that puts people before political games and hardworking families before billionaires,” said Ashleigh Crocker, Interim Executive Director of Progress Virginia. “We won a Democratic trifecta and 64 seats in the House of Delegates, a resounding mandate for hope, fairness, and a future where every family can thrive. By rejecting Earle-Sears, Reid, and Miyares, we repudiated a dangerous political movement based on fear, racism, and xenophobia. Today, our community has voted for a Governor and Lieutenant Governor that will stand up for everyone in the Commonwealth, regardless of what they look like, where they’re from, or where they live now. We’ve elected an Attorney General who will push back on the excesses of the federal government and stand up against corporate exploitation, and we have elected a House of Delegates that will help us achieve some of the concrete goals that we have been working on for years. Paid family and medical leave, increasing the minimum wage, sensible gun violence prevention, and the passage of three significant Constitutional amendments are all well within reach thanks to this outcome. We will work hard with our Democratic majorities to make sure that they continue to hear the voices of our community and ensure they keep the promises that they have made to all of us.”

Background:

• Every single locality in Virginia trended more Democratic compared to 2021.
• Democrat Lily Franklin beat Republican Chris Obenshain 51%-48% in District 41.
• Democrat Nicole Cole beat Republican 35 year incumber Bobby Orrock 52-47% in District 66.
• Democrat Lindsey Dougherty beat Republican Carrie Coyner 52-47% in District 75.