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Democrats projected to take full control of Virginia statehouse

Political insiders view the win for Democrats as a loss for Virginia's Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Posted at 8:06 AM, Nov 07, 2023

Democrats are on their way to a big night in Virginia. 

Scripps News and Decision Desk HQ project Democrats will take control of the Virginia House of Delegates, with at least 51 seats.

Democrats are also projected to remain in control of the state Senate, with at least 21 seats. 

Political insiders view the win for Democrats as a loss for Virginia's Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who was out campaigning for a unified government. 

In an exclusive interview with Scripps News, Youngkin said he was asking for voters to give him a "license to lead" by putting Republicans in the majority in the Senate and House of Delegates. However, voters appeared to reject that call, opting for bipartisanship — with Democrats in control of the statehouse and Youngkin in the executive mansion. 

Going into the night, Democrats held a 22-18 advantage in the Senate and a 48-46 advantage in the House of Delegates. 

All 40 Senate and 100 House seats were up for grabs, with some races yet to be determined.

The battle for Virginia's General Assembly attracted a lot of campaign dollars as it was seen as a litmus test heading into 2024.