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Tag: virginia election

  • Va.’s governor-elect tells WTOP first executive orders will focus on affordability – WTOP News

    In a one-on-one interview with WTOP’s Nick Iannelli, Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger is laying out what she plans to accomplish during her first days as governor.

    Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger has already made history in the Commonwealth, without even taking office, and in a one-on-one interview with WTOP’s Nick Iannelli, she’s laying out what she plans to accomplish during her first days in the governor’s mansion.

    In defeating Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, Spanberger became the first woman in the state to be elected governor.

    Her victory led a blue wave in Virginia, in which Democrats won in races for lieutenant governor and attorney general, and flipped 13 seats in the House of Delegates, giving them a super majority.

    That should make it much easier for Spanberger to implement her policies, and WTOP is learning more about what’s at the top of her list.

    The audio below has been edited for broadcast on WTOP.

    WTOP’s Nick Iannelli speaks to Virginia Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger about her day one priorities.

    Read the full interview below.

    The transcript below has been lightly edited for clarity.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      So let’s talk about day one priorities. When it was day one for Gov. Youngkin, he had a stack of executive orders to fast track his priorities and to reverse some of his predecessor’s policies.

      So on day one, is your day one going to look like that? Do you have a stack of executive orders and do you plan to do away with any of Youngkin’s policies?

    • Abigail Spanberger:

      Well, I am building out my day one stack. So, at this point in time, I am working on building out the day one priorities that I’ll be pursuing, certainly in concert with the General Assembly. I’ll need my partners in the legislative branch to be pursuing the legislation that I want to sign into law next year.

      And then I am also working on developing the executive orders that I will push out. What I can tell you is, I am working on building out a plan to best use the executive authority to ensure that we are delivering results for Virginia families, as it relates to contending with high costs and overall issues of affordability, particularly in housing and health care and in energy.

      There are some real unique challenges that so many Virginians are facing, certainly at this moment, because of the ongoing impacts of policies out of Washington, but also, of course, because of this ongoing shutdown. So we’re working on building out those executive orders that I will sign on the first day, but they will all be focused on issues of affordability.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      Do you plan on doing away with any of Youngkin’s policies, though? For example, Youngkin has been big on Virginia cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Do you plan on doing away with that, scrapping those priorities?

    • Abigail Spanberger:

      I have been clear on the fact that the executive order, I believe it’s 47, that he put out, mandating cooperation on immigration administrative action is something that I would change, and so that is something that I’ve been very clear on.

      Though, notably as a former law enforcement officer, cooperation between local, state and federal agencies is important when there is a warrant, and certainly when there is any sort of criminal offense. As a former law enforcement officer, I worked on many of those types of joint cases.

      So ultimately, that executive order that he put out is something that I’ve been quite clear that I would change.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      How about when it comes to Virginia’s relationship with the Trump administration? That is obviously going to change as Virginia is going to be completely controlled by Democrats now.

      Do you have any ideas in terms of taking legal action against the Trump administration? There was speculation that Virginia might do that if you won.

    • Abigail Spanberger:

      Well, I think certainly, as we have seen attacks on our federal employees, as we have seen the DOGE efforts come through, time and time and time again right now, with the efforts to take SNAP dollars away that were previously funded dollars allocated and legally should be distributed — the Trump administration’s choice to hold those dollars, that is something that’s been continually met with legal challenge. There have been states across the country that have challenged these actions and, unfortunately, Virginia has previously not joined in any of those efforts.

      So when it comes to anything that is defending the rights, the jobs, the livelihoods of Virginians that may be under attack by the Trump administration, then, generally speaking, that’s an area where I think people need to take an action. When we have seen states across the country taking action, joining together, pushing back on some of these efforts from the Trump administration, and unfortunately, Virginia has yet to join those efforts.

      So that is absolutely something that people should expect. But alternatively, in the new year, where there are areas where I can be an advocate for Virginia and work with this administration, I’ll endeavor to find those places, but certainly at a moment right now, the priority that I maintain is for the president to pull people into a room and to demonstrate the leadership necessary to end this government shutdown.

      And that is my top priority, my top request of the president, and frankly, my top request of all members of congressional leadership.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      So the day after the election, we heard from Gov. Youngkin, and he said that he remains concerned about Jay Jones, your attorney general-elect, saying that he believes Jones can’t do the job properly with all of the scrutiny surrounding the text message scandal.

      Do you have any concerns about Jones being able to do that job with all of that hanging over him, and to do his job without it becoming a big distraction?

    • Abigail Spanberger:

      So I think there’s two things here. Certainly Virginians have made their voices heard in electing Jay, and I trust the people of Virginia. I think ultimately, Virginians deserve and need leaders who are not afraid to stand up for Virginia, particularly when the Trump administration continues to attack our citizens, their livelihoods, our economy, threatens the health care of hundreds of thousands of Virginians.

      But I also think, and not to speak for him, but I do believe that Attorney General-elect Jones is aware that he has to demonstrate that he is going to do an excellent job that he certainly, along the campaign trail, made clear that he regretted the comments that he made. He apologized for them. And I think that now he has both the obligation and the mandate to demonstrate that his commitment is to the law. His commitment is to the people of Virginia, upholding and protecting our communities. And that’s what I expect him to do and endeavor to do every single day.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      As far as the redistricting efforts are concerned, that lawmakers just launched a week ago. As governor, when you take office, are you going to encourage those efforts, or will you be critical of them?

    • Abigail Spanberger:

      I think it’s important to note that the governor doesn’t necessarily play a role in this. So this is a General Assembly action that the General Assembly has taken. Ultimately, it would require a constitutional amendment in order to be able to do any type of redistricting, which is General Assembly votes, which they’ve already done once, they will vote again.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      But you would certainly have a lot of influence, though, as governor.

    • Abigail Spanberger:

      That’s when it would go to the people. Really what I am focused on in looking at and in conversations with the General Assembly, is the timeline, in terms of the pace at which this could or couldn’t get done, that pace at which it could or couldn’t get in front of the people for the people of Virginia to vote on.

      And I want to make sure that we have ample time to ensure that candidates who are running for those congressional seats have the ability to file their candidacies and run. And so, for me, looking toward what it is that the General Assembly is pursuing, the timing and the calendar of it matters now.

      As an issue of competitiveness, I would note that in my governor’s race, I won two of the congressional districts that are going to be highly contested in 2026. Certainly, there are many reasons why we here in Virginia might pursue redistricting, but notably, there are two seats, from a Democratic perspective, that are imminently winnable, because I just won them, and so I look forward to continuing the conversations.

      I think it was prudent for the General Assembly to keep its options open by passing what was a requirement, frankly, of being able to do it before the actual Election Day. I think it was prudent for the General Assembly to take that action, and now it becomes a question of timing, moving forward toward 2026 or 2028.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • ‘Restoring faith’: Elizabeth Guzmán shares goals after unseating incumbent in Va. House of Delegates race – WTOP News

    Elizabeth Guzmán defeated Republican incumbent Del. Ian Lovejoy on Tuesday night in House District 22, one of Virginia’s most competitive House of Delegate’s races.

    After finishing her day job as a social worker, Elizabeth Guzmán has spent her nearly two-hour commute back to Prince William County calling potential donors and asking for their support in recent weeks.

    Guzmán didn’t mind the time spent in gridlock, because it created an opportunity to connect with voters. When she reached her destination, she found herself talking to people who had just finished work. They’d bond over the traffic headaches and discuss schools.

    In one case, a teenage voter asked Guzmán why Congress struggled to put together a federal budget, and wondered who should be blamed for the government shutdown. She explained how she felt it happened and what’s at stake.

    Those personal connections helped Guzmán defeat Republican incumbent Del. Ian Lovejoy on Tuesday night in House District 22, one of Virginia’s most competitive House of Delegate’s races. Guzmán secured 54.6% of the vote, according to The Associated Press, securing a return to the General Assembly, where she served for six years.

    “This win is about restoring faith that government can work for people again,” Guzmán told WTOP.

    Guzmán said as she knocked on doors in every precinct, a common theme emerged. Many residents expressed frustration with federal job cuts. Some showed her emails informing them they were being furloughed.

    “They were sharing with me that when they were pursuing employment at the federal government, it was about a dream job, that they would have a stability,” Guzmán said. “That they will have good pay and good benefits. But Donald Trump was destroying all of it.”

    Some community members expressed frustration with Department of Education cuts, Guzmán said, worrying about what will happen to services for special education students. Others, who were originally proud of the education their kids were getting at Virginia’s public universities, became frustrated and “felt that everything was under attack,” Guzmán said.

    Locally, she said lawmakers need to follow recommendations from a Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, or JLARC, study to increase public school funding and find a way to increase teacher pay.

    “The president, we don’t know how he’s going to act with Virginia,” Guzmán said. “We have seen his direct attacks to those states that have a trifecta. We don’t know how he is going to punish us for having a trifecta, and having the majority in every level of the state government.”

    Guzmán said she spoke to Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger on Wednesday morning, and the two congratulated each other on successful election nights. Guzmán is eager to work with the state’s first female governor, and support the communities she bonded with over traffic jams.

    “We face the same struggles,” she said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Scott Gelman

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  • House of Delegates results in Virginia could change state’s balance of power – WTOP News

    The margin in Virginia’s state legislature is slim, and Tuesday’s election could tip the balance of power in the House of Delegates.

    Stay with WTOP on air, online and on our news app for team coverage, live results and analyses of election night in Virginia. Listen live.

    The margin in Virginia’s state legislature is slim, and as polls close on Election Day in the state, incoming results could tip the balance of power in the House of Delegates.

    And even though the state Senate seats were not on the ballot, the lieutenant governor holds the tiebreaking vote, which could come into play as Democrats hold just a 21-19 edge in the upper chamber.

    The race for lieutenant governor could be the closest of the statewide contests, and of the 100 House of Delegates seats voters decided Tuesday, 10 were labeled “competitive” in the Virginia Public Access Project Index.

    Virginia Public Access Project is a nonprofit that provides nonpartisan state government and election data.

    Of those 10 competitive seats, three were in the Northern Virginia region.

    House District 21 — Prince William County (partial)

    Virginia’s 21st District pitted incumbent Democratic Del. Josh Thomas against Republican challenger Gregory Lee Gorham.

    Among the top issues in the district, according to University of Mary Washington political science professor Stephen Farnsworth, were the economy and data centers, of which the district is home to dozens.

    “There is a great challenge for figuring out a way to create the electric capacity that would be required from the data centers that are being proposed. A statewide mechanism would allow for a more effective calculation,” Farnsworth said. “There’s a great deal of frustration on the part of voters with respect to the potential downstream costs in terms of their own electric bills.”

    Former Vice President Kamala Harris won the district in 2024’s presidential election, but Gov. Glenn Youngkin won in the state’s last election for governor.

    Thomas ended the campaign with a significant edge in fundraising, collecting over $1 million to Gorham’s $21,570, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

    “It is important to note the advantage of an incumbent in this environment. This district is drawn to be relatively competitive, but there is a huge financial challenge for a challenger in this race, and that creates a difficult environment to be heard, particularly in the very national politics-dominated conversation that’s been going on in Virginia this year,” Farnsworth said.

    More Election News

    House District 22 — Prince William County (partial)

    Republican Del. Ian Lovejoy currently holds the seat in Virginia’s District 22, and faced a challenge from Democrat Elizabeth Guzman.

    The district is home to neighborhoods such as Linton Hall, Bristow, Nokesville and Buckhall.

    “I think the district in an ordinary election would be more favorable to Republicans, just in terms of where the lines are drawn. But Guzman is an experienced candidate, who has won a number of elections in Prince William County and has become a candidate for statewide office during the primaries. And those have created environments where she has a national donor network,” Farnsworth said.

    Guzman represented Virginia’s 31st District, which includes parts of Prince William and Fauquier counties, for six years.

    Before his time in the House of Delegates, Lovejoy was elected to two terms on the Manassas City Council.

    Farnsworth said this race is no different from others across the state, in that it will be affected by the national political climate.

    “In the same way that Republicans benefited from attacking the Biden economy a year ago, Republicans are on the defensive now when people are talking about the Trump economy,” Farnsworth said.

    House District 65 — Fredericksburg and parts of Spotsylvania and Stafford counties

    A bit farther from the D.C. metro, there was yet another competitive race in Virginia’s 65th District. Incumbent Democratic Del. Joshua Cole faced a challenge from Republican Sean Steinway.

    Cole was first elected to the seat in 2019, but lost the seat in 2021 in a tight race. He won the seat back in 2023.

    Before running for the seat, Steinway served in the Marines, Fairfax County Police Department and Stafford County Sheriff’s Department and worked with the Drug Enforcement Administration.

    Cole ended the campaign with more than double the funds, raising $1.2 million to Steinway’s $576,082.

    Former Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris won the district, which includes all of Fredericksburg, by a sizable 9.3 points in 2024, but the district went for Youngkin by nearly 3 points in 2021 — the same election that resulted in Cole losing the seat.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • Election Day kicks off in Va. with high stakes races for governor, attorney general – WTOP News

    Polls are open in Virginia in an election to decide the state’s next governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, House of Delegates and local offices across the commonwealth.

    WTOP will have live coverage of election night in Virginia.

    Polls are open in Virginia in an election to decide the state’s next governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, House of Delegates and local offices across the commonwealth.

    Observers across the nation have their eyes on Tuesday’s election to determine if the results indicate momentum toward one party or the other heading into next year’s midterm elections, which will decide the balance of power in Congress.

    Virginia’s race for governor has pitted the current Republican lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, against Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger.

    There’s plenty of intrigue in the commonwealth’s other statewide races, too. Democrat Ghazala Hashmi and Republican John Reid are vying to be Virginia’s next lieutenant governor in a race that’s shaping up to be the closest of the statewide contests.

    And the race that’s grabbed the most headlines in recent weeks is the one for attorney general, after texts sent by Democratic nominee Jay Jones surfaced in which Jones hypothesized about shooting a political rival.

    That controversy has opened the door to the possibility of a split administration, as Spanberger is favored in the governor’s race, but the controversy has propelled incumbent Attorney General and Republican Jason Miyares to a lead in many polls to retain his position.

    All 100 seats in Virginia’s House of Delegates are also on the ballot, though some are not contested. Democrats have a slim 51-48 majority headed into Tuesday, with one current vacancy.

    Democrats also carry a majority in the Virginia State Senate; the 40 seats in the upper chamber are on the ballot in 2027.

    Before Election Day, hundreds of thousands of Virginians voted early. According to the Virginia Public Access Project, a record number of early ballots were cast for a non-presidential election in Virginia.

    What to know about casting a ballot

    Polls close at 7 p.m. Anyone in line to vote at that time will still be able to do so.

    All voters need to provide an acceptable form of ID, sign an ID confirmation statement at the polls or vote with a provisional ballot. Those who vote a provisional ballot will have until noon on the Friday after the election to deliver a copy of their ID to their jurisdiction’s election board or sign a confirmation statement in order for their ballot to be counted.

    A list of acceptable forms of ID is available online.

    The deadline to register to vote or to update voter registration has passed. Voters can view what’s on their ballot and find the location of their polling place on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

    WTOP will report results live as soon as they start coming in shortly after the polls close.

    Voters hit the polls

    Chelsea Lamm went to the polls early Tuesday morning and said helping others in need was top on her mind.

    “Just how can we be fair and think about everybody instead of just ourselves and what our own religious beliefs are,” she said.

    Voter Matthew Ziegler said he had several big topics on his mind when walking into the voting booth Tuesday.

    “The general safety of the population, unnecessary taxes, the car tax, that’s been ridiculous for years to be honest, and other issues of course the economy in mind as well across the entire state,” he said.

    Nader Chaaban said taxes were a big issue for him as he stepped up to vote.

    “Honestly I wish that they would get rid of the car tax, that’s a killer right there,” Chaaban said. “You pay a property tax, you pay a food tax, you pay for everything and then they come back and they tax you on the car that you’ve already paid taxes on,” he said.

    Voting in the historic Virginia governor’s race

    Lamm said when it comes to the governor’s race, she’s made up her mind.

    “I’m definitely voting Spanberger … especially as we’re seeing the government shutdown and SNAP benefits come into question for a lot of folks whether you’re voting Republican or Democrat, and so just how can I vote to take care of other people,” she said.

    Ziegler said, for governor, he’s voting, “Winsome-Sears, she has a lot of great leadership qualities, confidence, she knows what she’s talking about and is concerned about all of the safety issues and especially with the economy she really stood out to me this year.”

    When it comes to the government shutdown, Ziegler said he trusts Winsome-Sears to get the state through the difficult times.

    “I think that will be something that she’ll definitely work on and sway to connect across the entire population of Virginia,” Ziegler said.

    Chaaban said Spanberger “to a certain extent appeals to some of the things that I believe in and one of them honestly is looking at the educational system and supporting it and helping teachers, helping the school system.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • 2 Northern Virginia races could determine which party has majority in House of Delegates – WTOP News

    Democrats currently have a slim majority in Virginia’s House of Delegates, and two competitive Northern Virginia races could help determine which party controls that chamber.

    Democrats currently have a slim majority in Virginia’s House of Delegates, and two competitive Northern Virginia races could help determine which party controls that chamber of the state’s General Assembly.

    Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington, said the House of Delegates majority is “going to be determined by the outcome in these outer ring suburban communities.”

    That includes districts in places such as Chesterfield County and Hampton Roads, Farnsworth said, and two districts in Prince William County.

    Currently in the House of Delegates, Democrats hold a 51-48 majority, with one open seat.

    In House District 21, the incumbent, Democrat Del. Josh Thomas is facing Republican challenger Gregory Lee Gorham. Gorham worked in information technology, and Thomas is a lawyer who served with the U.S. Marine Corps.

    That district, Farnsworth said, is “drawn to be relatively competitive, but there is a huge financial challenge for a challenger in this race, and that creates a difficult environment to be heard, particularly in the very national politics-dominated conversation that’s been going on in Virginia this year.”

    Meanwhile, in House District 22, Republican incumbent Ian Lovejoy is facing Democrat Elizabeth Guzman. Lovejoy is a former Manassas City Council member, and Guzman is a former state delegate.

    House District 22, “in an ordinary election, would be more favorable to Republicans, just in terms of where the lines are drawn,” Farnsworth said. But Guzman “has won a number of elections in Prince William County” and has an established national donor network.

    The Virginia Public Access Project describes the House of Delegates races in both district as competitive.

    David Ramadan, a former member of Virginia’s House and a professor at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government, said in District 21, he expects Thomas, the incumbent, to win his seat again.

    Thomas raised $1.2 million and Gorham raised $21,000 for their campaigns, Ramadan said.

    “There’s been no spending in this race by the caucuses or the parties,” Ramadan said. “Therefore, this is a no contest.”

    However, Ramadan described the District 22 race as a “battleground.”

    “If Democrats, overall, have that 10-12% on top of the ticket, then Guzman wins the seat,” Ramadan said. “If this is a lower margin on top, then Ian Lovejoy has a chance of keeping his seat.”

    Data centers have been at the forefront of the issues candidates in those two races have discussed frequently.

    “Data centers are toxic in Prince William, as they are in Loudoun. Ten years ago, they used to be the darling of any candidate because they were good, at least they had good PR, and people wanted them,” Ramadan said. “Today, data centers in Northern Virginia, specifically in Prince William and Loudoun, are absolutely toxic.”

    Broadly, turnout in Northern Virginia is one of the key things to monitor, Farnsworth said.

    “There is a tradition in Virginia of angry voters showing up to protest the presidential election through this governor’s vote, and this year, that may be more intense than normal,” Farnsworth said. “Because a lot of federal workers, now a month into the shutdown, or former federal workers who were impacted by the Trump administration cutbacks, may be inclined to participate in great numbers.”

    In many election cycles in Virginia, Farnsworth said there’s a lot of time spent discussing what’s happening in and the future of the state. In this cycle, though, he said “it does seem like all politics are national.”

    The key challenge for Republicans in competitive state races is “how to present yourself in a way that can speak to voters who are not reflexively Republican,” Farnsworth said.

    “The environment is unfavorable for Republican candidates because of the actions of the Trump administration, and that’s a big challenge for Republicans,” he added. “The conversation on the Republican side is how to draw attention to the issues you want to emphasize about the future of Virginia. That’s a challenge, particularly when you look at the Democratic fundraising advantages.”

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Scott Gelman

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  • Virginia voter guide: What to know about Tuesday’s election for governor, delegates, more – WTOP News

    Early voting continues through Saturday in a critical election in Virginia to determine the next governor, House of Delegates seats and a long list of local races.

    Virginia voters speak out on the topics they’re most concerned about. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli)

    Voters across Virginia will line up at polling places across the state Tuesday in a critical election to determine the next governor, House of Delegates seats and a long list of local races.

    Political pundits will be reading the tea leaves to determine whether Democrats are gaining momentum, one year removed from their overwhelming defeat in last year’s presidential election and one year ahead of the midterms they hope to win to regain control in Congress.

    The main event is the race for governor, which has pitted the current Republican lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, against Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger. The other major statewide offices of lieutenant governor and attorney general are also up for grabs.

    All 100 seats in Virginia’s House of Delegates are also on the ballot, though some are not contested. Democrats have a slim 51-48 majority headed into November, with one current vacancy.

    There’s also a slew of local races across Northern Virginia and the rest of the commonwealth.

    Dates at a glance

    • Early in-person voting: Sept. 19 through Nov. 1 (passed)
    • Deadline to register or update voter registration: Oct. 24 (passed)
    • Deadline to request mail-in or absentee ballot: Oct. 24 (passed)
    • Election Day: Nov. 4

    Voting on Election Day

    Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 4. Voters in line by 7 p.m. will be able to cast a ballot.

    All voters need to provide an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID confirmation statement at the polls or vote a provisional ballot. Those who vote a provisional ballot will have until noon on the Friday after the election to deliver a copy of their ID to their jurisdiction’s election board or sign a confirmation statement in order for their ballot to be counted.

    The same rules apply when voting early.

    A list of acceptable forms of ID is available online.

    Vote by mail

    In order to vote by mail in Virginia, voters must request a mail ballot, which can be done on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

    Mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by noon on Nov. 7.

    Voters should check in with their city of county elections office for information about drop boxes and their locations.

    Who’s on the ballot?

    Statewide races

    Virginia is one of two states, along with New Jersey, that conducts statewide races, including its governor’s contest, in the year following a presidential election, meaning these races will draw attention from politicos across the U.S.

    The top of the ticket features the closely watched governor’s race between Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger.

    A Roanoke College poll released in August showed Spanberger ahead of Earle-Sears. Spanberger also has a hefty fundraising advantage, having raised more than $40 million for her campaign to Earle-Sears’ nearly $17 million, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

    No matter who wins the general election, Virginia is set to elect a woman as governor for the first time this fall.

    For lieutenant governor, voters will decide between Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi and Republican radio host John Reid.

    Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares is seeking reelection, and is facing Democratic challenger Jay Jones, an attorney and former state delegate.

    House of Delegates

    All 100 House of Delegates seats are up for grabs during November’s election, but not all are contested. The contested races in the D.C. area are below:

    An asterisk denotes an incumbent. Locations are within district but do not provide the full scope of the voting area.

    • District 1, part of Arlington County
      • Patrick Hope, Democrat*
      • William “Bill” Moher III, Republican
    • District 2, part of Arlington County
      • Adele McClure, Democrat*
      • Wendy Sigley, Republican
    • District 6, Fairfax County (Great Falls, McLean)
      • Richard “Rip” Sullivan Jr., Democrat*
      • Kristin Hoffman, Republican
    • District 7, Fairfax County (Reston)
      • Karen Keys-Gamarra, Democrat*
      • Cassandra Aucoin, Republican
    • District 8, Fairfax County (Herndon, Oak Hill)
      • Irene Shin, Democrat*
      • Indira Massey, Republican
    • District 9, Fairfax County (Chantilly, Centreville)
      • Karrie Delaney, Democrat*
      • Nhan Huynh, Republican
    • District 10, Fairfax County (Centreville, Clifton, Braddock)
      • Dan Helmer, Democrat*
      • David Guill, Republican
    • District 11, City of Fairfax and Fairfax County (Oakton, Fair Oaks)
      • David Bulova, Democrat*
      • Adam Wise, Republican
      • Brandon Givens, Forward Party
    • District 12, Fairfax County (Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield)
      • Holly Seibold, Democrat*
      • Nelson Figueroa-Velez, Republican
    • District 13, Falls Church and Fairfax County (Merrifield, Seven Corners)
      • Marcus Simon, Democrat*
      • Sylwia Oleksy, Republican
      • Dave Crance Jr., Libertarian
    • District 14, Fairfax County (Annandale, Wakefield, Lincolnia)
      • Vivian Watts, Democrat*
      • Eric Johnson, Republican
    • District 15, Fairfax County (Burke)
      • Laura Jane Cohen, Democrat*
      • Saundra Davis, Republican
    • District 16, Fairfax County (Mount Vernon, Fort Hunt, Woodlawn)
      • Paul Krizek, Democrat*
      • Richard Hayden, Republican
      • Shelly Arnoldi, Independent
    • District 17, Fairfax County (Springfield, Franconia)
      • Mark Sickles, Democrat*
      • Naomi Mesfin, Republican
    • District 18, Fairfax County (Springfield, Newington, Lorton)
      • Kathy Tran, Democrat*
      • Edward McGovern, Republican
    • District 20, Manassas, Manassas Park, part of Prince William County
      • Michelle-Ann Lopes Maldonado, Democrat*
      • Christopher Stone, Republican
    • District 21, Prince William County (Bull Run, Gainesville)
      • Joshua Thomas, Democrat*
      • Gregory “Greg” Gorham, Republican
    • District 22, Prince William County (Linton Hall, Bristow, Nokesville, Buckhall)
      • Elizabeth Guzman, Democrat
      • Ian Lovejoy, Republican*
    • District 23, Prince William County (Dumfries, Triangle) and Stafford County (Boswell’s Corner, Aquia)
      • Candi King, Democrat*
      • James Tully, Republican
    • District 26, Loudoun County (Brambleton, Stone Ridge, South Riding)
      • JJ Singh, Democrat*
      • Ommair Butt, Republican
    • District 27, Loudoun County (Sterling, Sugarland Run, Dulles)
      • Atoosa Reaser, Democrat*
      • Junaid Khan, Republican
    • District 28, Loudoun County (Ashburn, Countryside)
      • David Reid, Democrat*
      • Janet Geisler, Republican
    • District 29, Loudoun County (Leesburg, Lansdowne)
      • Fernando “Marty” Martinez, Democrat*
      • Scott Thomas, Republican
    • District 30, Loudoun County (Purcellville) and Fauquier County (Marshall)
      • John McAuliff, Democrat
      • Geary Higgins, Republican*
    • District 61, Fauquier County (Warrenton, Bealeton) and parts of Culpeper and Rappahannock counties
      • Jacob “Jac” Bennington, Democrat
      • Michael Webert, Republican*
    • District 65, Parts of Stafford and Spotsylvania counties and Fredericksburg City
      • Joshua Cole, Democrat*
      • Sean Steinway, Republican

    Local races

    Most jurisdictions in Northern Virginia have local races of some sort, whether they are contests for mayor, county board, school board, city council or sheriff.

    Check the full list of local races on the Virginia Department of Elections website. Voters can also check in with their county or city electoral board for more information on local races.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Ohio panel and Virginia lawmakers move forward with congressional redistricting plans – WTOP News

    The Democratic-led Virginia General Assembly has approved advancing a proposed constitutional amendment that could pave the way for redistricting in the state ahead of congressional midterm elections.

    An Ohio panel adopted new U.S. House districts on Friday that could boost the GOP’s chances of winning two additional seats in next year’s elections and aid President Donald Trump’s efforts to hold on to a slim congressional majority.

    The action by the Ohio Redistricting Commission came as Virginia’s Democratic-led General Assembly advanced a proposed constitutional amendment that could pave the way for redistricting in the state ahead of the 2026 congressional elections. That measure needs another round of legislative approval early next year before it can go to voters.

    Trump has been urging Republican-led states to reshape their U.S. House districts in an attempt to win more seats. But unlike in other states, Ohio’s redistricting was required by the state constitution because the current districts were adopted after the 2020 census without bipartisan support.

    Ohio joins Texas, Missouri and North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers already have revised congressional districts.

    Democrats have been pushing back. California voters are deciding Tuesday on a redistricting plan passed by the Democratic-led Legislature.

    The political parties are in an intense battle, because Democrats need to gain just three seats in next year’s election to win control of the House and gain the power to impede Trump’s agenda.

    In a rare bit of bipartisanship, Ohio’s new map won support from all five Republicans and both Democrats on the redistricting panel. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee praised the Ohio Democrats “for negotiating to prevent an even more egregious gerrymander” benefiting Republicans.

    Republicans hold 10 of Ohio’s 15 congressional seats. The new map could boost their chances in already competitive districts currently held by Democratic Reps. Greg Landsman in Cincinnati and Marcy Kaptur near Toledo. Kaptur won a 22nd term last year by about 2,400 votes, or less than 1 percentage point, in a district carried by Trump. Landsman won reelection with more than 54% of the vote.

    National Democrats said they expect to hold both targeted districts and compete to flip three other Republican seats.

    Ohio residents criticize new map

    Ohio’s commission had faced a Friday deadline to adopt a new map, or the task would have fallen to the GOP-led Legislature, which could have crafted districts even more favorable to Republicans. Any redistricting bill passed by the Legislature could have been subject to an initiative petition campaign from opponents forcing a public referendum on the new map.

    That uncertainty provided commissioners of both parties with some incentive for compromise. House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, a Democratic commissioner, said the deal “averts the disaster that was coming our way” with a potential 13-2 map favoring Republicans. And Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose, another commissioner, said it avoided a costly battle over a referendum that could have delayed the state’s primaries.

    But Ohio residents who testified to commissioners Friday denounced the new districts. Julia Cattaneo, whose shirt proclaimed, “gerrymandering is cheating,” said the new map is gerrymandered for Republicans more than the one it is replacing and is not the sort of compromise needed.

    “Yes, you are compromising — your integrity, honor, duty and to represent Ohioans,” she said.

    Added resident Scott Sibley: “This map is an affront to democracy, and you should all — every one of you — be ashamed.”

    Republican Auditor Keith Farber, a commission member, defended the map during a testy exchange with one opponent. Because many Democrats live in cities and many Republicans in rural areas, he said there was no way to draw eight Republican and seven Democratic districts — as some had urged — without splitting cities, counties and townships.

    Virginia Democrats point at Trump to defend redistricting

    Virginia is represented in the U.S. House by six Democrats and five Republicans. Democratic lawmakers haven’t unveiled their planned new map, nor how many seats they will try to gain, but said their moves are necessary to respond to the Trump-inspired gerrymandering in Republican-led states.

    “Our voters are asking to have that voice. They’re asking that we protect democracy, that we not allow gerrymandering to happen throughout the country, and we sit back,” Democratic Sen. Barbara Favola said.

    The proposed constitutional amendment would let lawmakers temporarily bypass a bipartisan commission and redraw congressional districts to their advantage. The Senate’s approval Friday followed House approval Wednesday.

    The developments come as Virginia holds elections Tuesday, where all 100 state House seats are on the ballot. Democrats would need to keep their slim majority to advance the constitutional amendment again next year. It then would go to a statewide referendum.

    Republican Sen. Mark Obenshain said Democrats were ignoring the will of voters who overwhelmingly approved the bipartisan redistricting commission.

    “Heaven forbid that we actually link arms and work together on something,” Obenshain said. “What the voters of Virginia said is, ‘We expect redistricting to be an issue that we work across the aisle on, that we link arms on.’”

    But Democratic Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, who has long championed the bipartisan redistricting commission, noted it still would be responsible for redistricting after the 2030 census.

    “We’re not trying to end the practice of fair maps,” he said. “We are asking the voters if, in this one limited case, they want to ensure that a constitutional-norm-busting president can’t break the entire national election by twisting the arms of a few state legislatures.”

    Indiana and Kansas could be next

    Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Braun called a special session to begin Monday to redraw congressional districts, currently held by seven Republicans and two Democrats. But lawmakers don’t plan to begin work on that day. Although it’s unclear exactly when lawmakers will convene, state law allows 40 days to complete a special session.

    In Kansas, Republican lawmakers are trying to collect enough signatures from colleagues to call themselves into a special session on congressional redistricting beginning Nov. 7. Senate President Ty Masterson says he has the necessary two-thirds vote in the Senate, but House Republicans have at least a few holdouts. The petition is necessary because Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly isn’t likely to call a session to redraw the current districts, held by three Republicans and one Democrat.

    ___

    Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri; Scolforo from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; and Diaz from Richmond, Virginia. John Hanna in Topeka, Kansas, and Isabella Volmert in Lansing, Michigan, contributed.

    Copyright
    © 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.

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  • Abortion, the economy, education: Where Virginia lieutenant governor candidates stand on the issues – WTOP News

    The race for lieutenant governor between Democrat Ghazala Hashmi and Republican John Reid is shaping up to be the closest of Virginia’s statewide contests.

    The race for lieutenant governor between Democrat Ghazala Hashmi and Republican John Reid is shaping up to be the closest of Virginia’s statewide contests.

    Hashmi, a state senator, holds a narrow one-point lead over Reid, a conservative radio host, according to an October poll from the VCU Wilder School. With a margin of error of plus-or-minus 3.95%, the race is essentially statistically tied heading into November.

    No matter who wins, the victory would mark a historic first for Richmond. Hashmi would become both the first Muslim and the first South Asian American to win statewide office. Reid would become the first openly gay lieutenant governor in Virginia history.

    Both candidates spoke with WTOP about where they stand on the issues and outlined their visions for the Commonwealth.

    Education

    Hashmi, who spent 30 years working as a professor at colleges around Virginia, touted billions in increased spending toward schools during her time in the Senate.

    “Some of that has gone to support our teachers, to improve infrastructure, to lift the support cap that has harmed so many of our school districts and also to focus on our vulnerable student populations,” Hashmi said.

    Hashmi said she supports the hiring of more support staff at schools and wants to see smaller class sizes across the state.

    “We know that smaller class sizes improve student learning outcomes. We know that having more adults who are able to provide support and resources to our young people improves outcomes,” she said.

    Hashmi also said she supports higher education being made more affordable for students. She emphasized career and technical education and community college programs as key pathways to affordability.

    Reid said he agrees that college tuition is too high for students and costs show universities that receive state funding need reforms when it comes to how they spend money.

    “They’re going to have to stop paying exorbitant fees to college professors and those who are on the staff,” Reid said.

    Reid said his plans for public schools would help “bring things under control” when it comes to spending and he wants to see an emphasis on discipline in the classroom.

    “We’re going to bring discipline into the classroom. I think that’ll help the teachers, the principals, the kids and the parents,” Reid said.

    He’s a proponent of school uniforms as well, saying school should not be a “fashion show.” He said those measures are part of what he calls his “Real Virginia Agenda,” a platform that outlines his education and economic policy goals.

    Jobs and economy

    When it comes to the economy, Hashmi said she wants to align education with workforce needs through the use of apprenticeships.

    “We can make those alignments so that we attract employers that provide high-paying jobs, and that we have a skilled workforce that’s ready to meet those jobs and opportunities,” Hashmi said.

    She also criticized the federal job cuts seen throughout the state, primarily in the Northern Virginia region, and accused Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s administration of what she believes is an inadequate response to help laid-off federal workers and contractors.

    Reid said the federal workforce reductions have created a “very difficult situation” in the state and even for his family. His partner lost his position working on the nuclear submarine program at the Navy Yard.

    “We’re living through that,” he said.

    As lieutenant governor, Reid said his time working in public affairs would best position him to become an “ambassador for business for the state.” He said he would work to keep Virginia as a right-to-work state.

    “We’ve got to keep right-to-work, so that workers aren’t forced into a union if they don’t want to be there, and the CEOs will see Virginia as an appealing place to invest millions, if not billions, of dollars,” he said.

    He also raised concerns about proposals to raise the minimum wage in the state, saying those proposals could have unintended consequences.

    “The people at the lowest end of the economic ladder will lose their jobs,” he said. “We know that’s true.”

    Abortion and reproductive rights

    As a constitutional amendment on abortion makes its way through the legislative process in Virginia, it will come up for consideration again in January, and the lieutenant governor would be the one to break a tie in the Senate.

    On the topic, Hashmi said she supports abortion access in the state and expressed her support for the constitutional amendment.

    “I have helped to draft the language for the constitutional amendment that is now working its way through the General Assembly that provides safe and legal access, not just to abortion care, but to the full spectrum of reproductive health care,” she said.

    Reid said he opposes the proposed amendment, expressing concern about late-term abortions and calling the measure “really extreme.” He said the proposal could allow “day-of-birth abortions,” a characterization that Democrats reject.

    “I’m pro-life. I’m in the minority. I know that most people don’t agree with me. That is OK. I’m going to still argue what I believe, even when people don’t agree with me,” Reid said.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Virginia voter guide: Early voting until Saturday for November election for governor, delegates, more – WTOP News

    Early voting continues through Saturday in a critical election in Virginia to determine the next governor, House of Delegates seats and a long list of local races.

    Virginia voters speak out on the topics they’re most concerned about. (WTOP/Nick Iannelli)

    Early voting continues through Saturday in a critical election in Virginia to determine the next governor, House of Delegates seats and a long list of local races.

    Political pundits will be reading the tea leaves to determine whether Democrats are gaining momentum, one year removed from their overwhelming defeat in last year’s presidential election and one year ahead of the midterms they hope to win to regain control in Congress.

    The main event is the race for governor, which has pitted the current Republican lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, against Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger. The other major statewide offices of lieutenant governor and attorney general are also up for grabs.

    All 100 seats in Virginia’s House of Delegates are also on the ballot, though some are not contested. Democrats have a slim 51-49 majority headed into November.

    There’s also a slew of local races across Northern Virginia and the rest of the commonwealth.

    Dates at a glance

    • Early in-person voting: Sept. 19 through Nov. 1
    • Deadline to register or update voter registration: Oct. 24 (passed)
    • Deadline to request mail-in or absentee ballot: Oct. 24 (passed)
    • Election Day: Nov. 4

    Early in-person voting

    Before voting either early or on Election Day, be sure to register to vote or confirm your voter registration is up to date.

    For information on early voting locations, voters should check in with their city or county elections office. Each jurisdiction may have different policies regarding early voting, and early voting locations may differ from your Election Day polling place.

    Vote by mail

    In order to vote by mail in Virginia, voters must request a mail ballot, which can be done on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

    Mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by noon on Nov. 7.

    Voters should check in with their city of county elections office for information about drop boxes and their locations.

    Voting on Election Day

    Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 4. Voters in line by 7 p.m. will be able to cast a ballot.

    All voters need to provide an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID confirmation statement at the polls or vote a provisional ballot. Those who vote a provisional ballot will have until noon on the Friday after the election to deliver a copy of their ID to their jurisdiction’s election board or sign a confirmation statement in order for their ballot to be counted.

    The same rules apply when voting early.

    A list of acceptable forms of ID is available online.

    Who’s on the ballot?

    Statewide races

    Virginia is one of two states, along with New Jersey, that conducts statewide races, including its governor’s contest, in the year following a presidential election, meaning these races will draw attention from politicos across the U.S.

    The top of the ticket features the closely watched governor’s race between Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger.

    A Roanoke College poll released in August showed Spanberger ahead of Earle-Sears. Spanberger also has a hefty fundraising advantage, having raised more than $40 million for her campaign to Earle-Sears’ nearly $17 million, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

    No matter who wins the general election, Virginia is set to elect a woman as governor for the first time this fall.

    For lieutenant governor, voters will decide between Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi and Republican radio host John Reid.

    Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares is seeking reelection, and is facing Democratic challenger Jay Jones, an attorney and former state delegate.

    House of Delegates

    All 100 House of Delegates seats are up for grabs during November’s election, but not all are contested. The contested races in the D.C. area are below:

    An asterisk denotes an incumbent. Locations are within district but do not provide the full scope of the voting area.

    • District 1, part of Arlington County
      • Patrick Hope, Democrat*
      • William “Bill” Moher III, Republican
    • District 2, part of Arlington County
      • Adele McClure, Democrat*
      • Wendy Sigley, Republican
    • District 6, Fairfax County (Great Falls, McLean)
      • Richard “Rip” Sullivan Jr., Democrat*
      • Kristin Hoffman, Republican
    • District 7, Fairfax County (Reston)
      • Karen Keys-Gamarra, Democrat*
      • Cassandra Aucoin, Republican
    • District 8, Fairfax County (Herndon, Oak Hill)
      • Irene Shin, Democrat*
      • Indira Massey, Republican
    • District 9, Fairfax County (Chantilly, Centreville)
      • Karrie Delaney, Democrat*
      • Nhan Huynh, Republican
    • District 10, Fairfax County (Centreville, Clifton, Braddock)
      • Dan Helmer, Democrat*
      • David Guill, Republican
    • District 11, City of Fairfax and Fairfax County (Oakton, Fair Oaks)
      • David Bulova, Democrat*
      • Adam Wise, Republican
      • Brandon Givens, Forward Party
    • District 12, Fairfax County (Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield)
      • Holly Seibold, Democrat*
      • Nelson Figueroa-Velez, Republican
    • District 13, Falls Church and Fairfax County (Merrifield, Seven Corners)
      • Marcus Simon, Democrat*
      • Sylwia Oleksy, Republican
      • Dave Crance Jr., Libertarian
    • District 14, Fairfax County (Annandale, Wakefield, Lincolnia)
      • Vivian Watts, Democrat*
      • Eric Johnson, Republican
    • District 15, Fairfax County (Burke)
      • Laura Jane Cohen, Democrat*
      • Saundra Davis, Republican
    • District 16, Fairfax County (Mount Vernon, Fort Hunt, Woodlawn)
      • Paul Krizek, Democrat*
      • Richard Hayden, Republican
      • Shelly Arnoldi, Independent
    • District 17, Fairfax County (Springfield, Franconia)
      • Mark Sickles, Democrat*
      • Naomi Mesfin, Republican
    • District 18, Fairfax County (Springfield, Newington, Lorton)
      • Kathy Tran, Democrat*
      • Edward McGovern, Republican
    • District 20, Manassas, Manassas Park, part of Prince William County
      • Michelle-Ann Lopes Maldonado, Democrat*
      • Christopher Stone, Republican
    • District 21, Prince William County (Bull Run, Gainesville)
      • Joshua Thomas, Democrat*
      • Gregory “Greg” Gorham, Republican
    • District 22, Prince William County (Linton Hall, Bristow, Nokesville, Buckhall)
      • Elizabeth Guzman, Democrat
      • Ian Lovejoy, Republican*
    • District 23, Prince William County (Dumfries, Triangle) and Stafford County (Boswell’s Corner, Aquia)
      • Candi King, Democrat*
      • James Tully, Republican
    • District 26, Loudoun County (Brambleton, Stone Ridge, South Riding)
      • JJ Singh, Democrat*
      • Ommair Butt, Republican
    • District 27, Loudoun County (Sterling, Sugarland Run, Dulles)
      • Atoosa Reaser, Democrat*
      • Junaid Khan, Republican
    • District 28, Loudoun County (Ashburn, Countryside)
      • David Reid, Democrat*
      • Janet Geisler, Republican
    • District 29, Loudoun County (Leesburg, Lansdowne)
      • Fernando “Marty” Martinez, Democrat*
      • Scott Thomas, Republican
    • District 30, Loudoun County (Purcellville) and Fauquier County (Marshall)
      • John McAuliff, Democrat
      • Geary Higgins, Republican*
    • District 61, Fauquier County (Warrenton, Bealeton) and parts of Culpeper and Rappahannock counties
      • Jacob “Jac” Bennington, Democrat
      • Michael Webert, Republican*

    Local races

    Most jurisdictions in Northern Virginia have local races of some sort, whether they are contests for mayor, county board, school board, city council or sheriff.

    Check the full list of local races on the Virginia Department of Elections website. Voters can also check in with their county or city electoral board for more information on local races.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • Virginia Gov. Youngkin calls potential redistricting from House Dems ‘a desperate grab’ – WTOP News

    Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin is furious. Democratic leaders in the General Assembly said they’re bringing lawmakers back to Richmond next week to start the process of redrawing the state’s congressional maps.

    Virginia Democrats have called lawmakers back to Richmond for a special session next week, the first step toward potentially redrawing their state’s U.S. House districts. 

    They’re taking a play out of Texas’ book, which redrew its maps in September, backed by President Donald Trump and his push for more partisan districts in Republican-run states.

    Virginia Democrats are hoping it will boost their party’s chances in next year’s midterm elections.

    Virginia Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, in an interview with WTOP anchor Nick Iannelli, called the move “a desperate grab for power.”

    It’s all happening just days before Virginia’s high-stakes election in the race for governor on Nov. 4.

    Listen to or read the interview below:

    WTOP’s Nick Iannelli speaks with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who called the state’s Democrats ‘desperate’ for redrawing its congressional maps

    The transcript below has been lightly edited for clarity.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      For the average political observer, to hear that this was happening, this was a little bit of a shock. This was stunning to hear. Did you as governor know this was coming, this redistricting effort, or were you just as caught off guard by it as everybody else?

    • Glenn Youngkin:

      No, I didn’t know it was coming, and I think it is a desperate grab for power.

      Let’s be real. We’re now 34 days into an election cycle; 34 days into the election with 11 days left. And they’re calling for a special session to talk about redistricting and to push something that, by the way, Virginians settled five years ago when there was a constitutional amendment — approved by Virginians. two-thirds, one-third — to have a bipartisan redistricting committee do this work.

      And by the way, now here they’re saying, “We’re going to ignore that. We’re going to override you all and drive a blatantly partisan agenda that is counter to everything that Virginians believe.”

      The future of the Commonwealth is either going to be one that we work together and get things done, like we have done, or we cede political control to a party that wants to seize power like this right from the hands of voters that voted five years ago in order to have a bipartisan redistricting commission. And they want to do it 11 days before we finish an election.

      This is crazy, and I think Virginians have to see through what this is and get out and vote and put a stop to this.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      You called this a “shameful, reprehensible power grab.” This basically happened in Texas, though, and this was supported by the Trump administration. Would you say that Republicans who do these efforts in other states are also carrying out a “shameful, reprehensible power grab?”

    • Glenn Youngkin:

      Nick, let me correct you directly.

      There had not been a constitutional amendment passed in Texas. There has been one passed here — a constitutional amendment put to the voters in 2020. An amendment that said we will have a bipartisan redistricting commission and it will handle these redistricting issues. And it passed two-thirds, one-third in Virginia. We have settled this. This is done.

      This is so fundamentally wrong, and it violates every ounce of decency that we’re supposed to have as public servants in the Commonwealth of Virginia. And, again, I think it’s reprehensible.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      Are you and your administration going to do something, or try to do something, to stop this from happening?

    • Glenn Youngkin:

      I believe over the course of the week, next week, it will become increasingly clear why this is unconstitutional.

      Listen, right now, we’re just in shock that they would play this crazy, crazy card and pull everyone back, including Winsome Earle-Sears, who is campaigning — and they’re also doing it to get her off the campaign trail because they understand that this race has tightened so much.

      People recognize they’ll do anything, anything, to seize control, and this is why this election is so tight. And the fact that they are calling this special session at a time when people should be out campaigning and winning by votes, not by trickery, I think this is a real tell into their moral compass, which is spinning right now.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      Are you going to do anything legally to try to stop this?

    • Glenn Youngkin:

      As you can imagine, everyone is examining all avenues, and we’ll see how that plays out next week.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Ciara Wells

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  • House Speaker calls Virginia lawmakers back to Richmond as possible redistricting fight brews – WTOP News

    Surprise special session for Virginia lawmakers comes just days before Election Day, with Democrats weighing plans to redraw congressional lines amid GOP accusations of a “power grab.”

    This article was reprinted with permission from Virginia Mercury. 

    Virginia House Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, on Thursday called lawmakers back to Richmond for a special session Monday afternoon, setting off speculation that Democrats are preparing to act on redistricting plans just days before voters elect a new governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and all 100 members of the House of Delegates.

    In a letter to House members, Scott cited constitutional provisions and joint resolutions authorizing the General Assembly to reconvene the 2024 Special Session I “to consider matters properly before the ongoing session and any related business laid before the body.”

    The House will meet at 4 p.m. Monday in the Capitol chamber, he wrote, adding that the clerk’s office will soon provide logistical details.

    “My office has spoken with Senate leadership and has been assured that a similar communication … will be made by the Senate Clerk’s Office to Senate members,” Scott wrote.

    He did not explain why the legislature is being recalled, and neither he nor Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, responded to inquiries from The Mercury on Thursday.

    Redistricting speculation

    Several Democrats and legislative staffers told Virginia Scope that part of the session’s focus will be redistricting — a move that could reopen debate over how Virginia’s 11 congressional boundaries are drawn. Six of these are currently held by Democrats, and sources told the outlet that Democrats in Washington believe a new map could yield at least two additional Democratic-leaning seats in the U.S. House of Representatives.

    Virginia voters in 2020 approved a constitutional amendment creating an independent redistricting commission of lawmakers and citizens, but the panel deadlocked in late 2021, leaving the Virginia Supreme Court to draw the current maps.

    With Democrats now holding narrow control of both legislative chambers, some strategists have discussed using their majorities to revisit that framework.

    Options under discussion include breaking up heavily Democratic districts to make them more competitive while reshaping Republican-leaning areas to favor Democratic candidates.

    Timing is key — under Virginia’s amendment process, a constitutional change must be approved twice by the General Assembly with a House election in between before being placed on the ballot for voter approval or rejection.

    According to Virginia Scope, Democratic leaders are considering an initial vote before the Nov. 4 election, followed by a second vote during the 2026 session, potentially allowing a referendum next spring and new maps as early as April — two months before congressional primaries.

    Still, many Democratic lawmakers remain uneasy about the plan. Senate Democrats held a caucus meeting Wednesday night, and several members told the outlet they had been “kept out of the loop” about the special-session agenda.

    National backdrop

    Across the country, redistricting battles are intensifying as both parties look to lock in advantages ahead of the 2026 midterms.

    Earlier on Thursday, the New York Times reported that Virginia’s Democratic leaders are considering “joining a growing number of states” seeking to counter what they call partisan gerrymandering efforts encouraged by the administration of President Donald Trump.

    “We are coming back to address actions by the Trump administration,” Surovell told the Times, suggesting Democrats view their move as a corrective to Republican-led redistricting maneuvers in states such as Texas, Florida, and North Carolina.

    Those states have recently pushed new maps designed to cement GOP control after a series of federal court rulings loosened constraints on mid-decade remapping. The Supreme Court is currently weighing a major redistricting case from Louisiana, another sign of how important the issue is to legislators and voters nationwide.

    In August, Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, hinted publicly that Virginia could soon act.

    Sharing a post by former President Barack Obama on X, formerly Twitter, praising California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approach to mid-decade redistricting, Lucas wrote: “Every state in the nation should follow suit. Stay tuned for Virginia …”

    Political fallout

    Republicans swiftly accused Democrats of scheming to rewrite the rules ahead of a pivotal statewide election.

    Republican Party of Virginia Chair Mark Peake, a state senator from Lynchburg, in a video on X characterized Scott’s move a sign of Democratic desperation.

    “Desperate Democrats are pulling a pathetic, political stunt,” Peake said, accusing the majority of “doing anything they can to take attention away from their horrible candidates.”

    He added that “the General Assembly hopes they can do something with this ruse about redistricting,” but urged voters not to “fall for it.”

    The campaign of Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, the GOP nominee for governor, blamed Democratic contender Abigail Spanberger for supporting the idea of dissolving the independent commission.

    “In a stunning display of arrogance, Abigail Spanberger wants to overrule the will of Virginia voters in favor of a cynical power grab,” campaign spokesperson Peyton Vogel said in a statement Thursday.

    “She came out in favor of abolishing Virginia’s Independent Redistricting Commission and wants to hand control back to the politicians in Richmond so they can guarantee their own reelection. … It’s never been about the voters or what’s best for Virginia. It’s always been about what’s best for Abigail Spanberger.”

    However, in an interview with WJLA in late August, Spanberger said she opposed mid-decade redistricting and warned against “politicians trying to tilt the playing field in their favor,” aligning herself with Maryland Gov. Wes Moore’s call for fair-maps legislation.

    What comes next

    With the state legislature reconvening Monday afternoon, both chambers are expected to gavel in briefly before potentially taking up redistricting-related measures later in the week.

    Procedural resolutions adopted earlier this year would allow lawmakers to address “matters properly before the ongoing special session,” giving Scott wide latitude to add topics to the agenda.

    Any move to alter Virginia’s redistricting process would likely trigger intense legal scrutiny and political backlash — especially given the proximity to Election Day. But Democratic strategists across the country argue that Republican-led states have already rewritten maps to their advantage.

    Ciara Wells

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  • Will Virginia’s race for governor be bellwether for congressional midterms? – WTOP News

    Virginia is in the political spotlight, as pundits will look to the result of the state’s election for governor between Abigail Spanberger and Winsome Earle-Sears for clues about next year’s midterms.

    For all the latest developments in Congress, follow WTOP Capitol Hill correspondent Mitchell Miller at Today on the Hill.

    Virginia’s race for governor is historic and the focus of the nation’s attention, as Republicans and Democrats seek momentum going into next year’s congressional midterm elections.

    Whether voters choose Democratic former Rep. Abigail Spanberger or Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, history will be made with the election of the first woman as governor of the Commonwealth.

    Virginia and New Jersey are in the political spotlight this fall, since they are the only states holding off-year elections for governor.

    “When you look at the election for governor of Virginia in this year, you really recognize that, at least right now, all politics are national,” said Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science at the University of Mary Washington.

    Spanberger has leaned into criticizing President Donald Trump for firing and laying off tens of thousands of federal employees since he’s returned to the White House.

    Virginia has the second-most federal employees of any state in the country, only trailing California.

    Earle-Sears supports the president’s efforts to trim federal bureaucracy and Trump recently told reporters he believes she is a “very good” candidate, while calling Spanberger a “disaster.”

    Impact of AG race and texting scandal

    The down-ballot attorney general’s race has altered the gubernatorial campaign, with the revelation that Democratic candidate Jay Jones texted a Republican colleague in 2022, wishing deadly violence on then-House Speaker Todd Gilbert and his family.

    Earle-Sears, whose candidacy has had difficulty raising money and at times been privately criticized by GOP strategists, has sought to capitalize on the scandal. She aired a television ad from the debate during which she pressed Spanberger to discuss her support for Jones and the texting issue, as the Democratic candidate remained silent.

    Spanberger has condemned what Jones said and has sought to distance herself from the matter.

    Farnsworth said Earle-Sears has had difficulty finding an issue to get “traction for her campaign” and that pressing Spanberger on whether she still backs Jones has been “the most compelling” issue of her campaign.

    “But it doesn’t seem like it’s really big enough to move the governor’s race, particularly given how aggressively Spanberger has condemned what Jones said,” Farnsworth noted.

    Polls have consistently shown Spanberger with a lead over Earle-Sears, who could become the first Black woman in the country to be elected governor.

    But a recent poll indicated the race may have tightened.

    Virginia as a bellwether

    Farnsworth said it is important for Democrats to win both the Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial races, if they are to make an argument that they are developing momentum to alter the balance of power in Congress.

    “Oftentimes, Virginia is seen as a leading political indicator, maybe more so than New Jersey, because we’re more purple than New Jersey is,” Farnsworth said. “But the reality for both parties is that you want the bragging rights of having a good year in Virginia in year one of a presidential term, to give you a sense of inevitability of gains during year two — the midterm congressional elections.”

    Democrats only need to pick up a handful of seats to regain power in the U.S. House.

    Farnsworth said Spanberger and former New Jersey Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the Democratic candidate for governor in the Garden State, are both quality candidates.

    They also have the advantage of a lot of “frustration and anger” among Democratic voters, aimed at the president, which helps drive turnout.

    But polls have shown a tightening of the race between Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, who has been endorsed by Trump. Farnsworth said it would be a “very, very bad sign for Democrats” going into the midterms if they don’t prevail in both states, but especially in Virginia.

    Former President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that he plans to campaign in Virginia for Spanberger, appearing with her in Norfolk on Nov. 1.

    “Virginia’s elections are some of the most important in the country this year,” Obama said in a recently released ad for Spanberger.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

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  • WATCH: Virginia attorney general candidates debate with text scandal front and center – WTOP News

    The two candidates for Virginia attorney general, Republican incumbent Jason Miyares and his Democratic challenger Jay Jones, squared off Thursday night in their first and only debate before Election Day on Nov. 4.

    The debate took place at University of Richmond, and came just two weeks after text messages sent by Jones three years ago that show him fantasizing about shooting a Republican Virginia lawmaker were made public.

    Watch the debate below.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • Will text message scandal derail Democratic success in Virginia election? – WTOP News

    Virginia’s election is only a few weeks away and the race for attorney general is drawing attention following the discovery of text messages sent in 2022 by Democratic nominee Jay Jones.

    Virginia’s election is only a few weeks away and the race for attorney general is drawing attention following the discovery of text messages sent in 2022 by Democratic nominee Jay Jones.

    In the messages, which recently resurfaced, Jones described a hypothetical scenario in which he would kill then-Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert. The messages were sent to Republican House of Delegates candidate Carrie Coyner.

    At the time, Jones wrote:

    • Three people, two bullets
    • Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot
    • Gilbert gets two bullets to the head
    • Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time

    Polling

    Since the discovery, Jones has faced numerous calls from both Democrats and Republicans to drop out of the race. Polls have also shown the margins tightening between him and Republican incumbent candidate Jason Miyares.

    Kyle Kondik, managing editor of Sabato’s Crystal Ball from the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said whether or not Miyares is really leading in polls remains to be seen.

    “I don’t think we’ve really gotten true, nonpartisan polling of the race. Since the news about Jay Jones came out, there have been a few polls — including one from Jones’ campaign — that showed Jones losing ground, which makes sense. I mean, this is a huge story in Virginia politics,” Kondik said.

    Thursday’s AG debate

    The candidates for attorney general are set to have their first and only debate on Thursday.

    Kondik said Miyares will likely try to ensure Jones’ text messages stay front and center in the minds of voters.

    “I think the key thing is, what happens in this debate, and does it either sustain or stall this story?” Kondik said.

    He also highlighted new advertisements incorporating the text messages from Jones.

    “Miyares has already run, what I think are, some pretty effective ads using this text messaging story against Jones. And so he should be able to have some sort of advantage on that down the stretch of the election,” Kondik said.

    National politics and ticket splitting

    Despite the recent controversy surrounding Jones, Kondik said the current political environment still favors Democrats in Virginia politics. He also pointed to the polling in Virginia’s race for governor, which shows Democrat Abigail Spanberger leading Republican candidate Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears.

    “The challenge is, I think, it’s still probably a Democratic-leaning environment overall, in Virginia and nationally in 2025,” Kondik said. “I do think Abigail Spanberger is still favored in the governor’s race, and then the question is whether there are long enough coattails to allow Jones to win.”

    He said ticket splitting has been on the decline in Virginia and it’s a great test to see how potent ticket splitting is.

    “It’s possible that Jones gets beat up on this story for the rest of the campaign, but still is able to win just because of these bigger picture factors,” Kondik said.

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  • New poll shows Abigail Spanberger with a double-digit lead in Virginia’s governor race – WTOP News

    A new poll shows Democrat Abigail Spanberger with a double-digit lead over Republican Winsome Earle-Sears in Virginia’s governor’s race.

    A new poll shows Democrat Abigail Spanberger with a double-digit lead in Virginia’s governor’s race.

    The Washington Post/Schar School poll found Spanberger ahead of Republican Winsome Earle-Sears by 12 points among likely voters — 55% to 43%.

    Spanberger also holds a 13-point advantage among registered voters overall.

    This poll, conducted last week and surveying more than 1,000 registered voters in Virginia, has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.

    Scott Clement, polling director for The Washington Post, joined WTOP’s Shawn Anderson and Anne Kramer on Friday to break down the polling.

    Scott Clement, polling director for The Washington Post, joined WTOP to break down a new poll showing Abigail Spanberger with a double-digit lead in Virginia’s governor race.

    The transcript below has been lightly edited for clarity.

    • Anne Kramer:

      Let’s break this down a little bit. You have Spanberger leading by double digits. What’s going on here, and how did you get to this point?

    • Scott Clement:

      Spanberger is benefiting from a few things. One, most voters disapprove of President Trump’s job performance in Virginia and this is a really common pattern in Virginia the year after presidential election that tends to push back against the president, sort of an early warning sign of the midterms. Down to the actual voters. Voters have a lot of different concerns. But one of the big patterns helping Spanberger is she has a big lead among political independents, 27 percentage points. She’s also more popular than Winsome Earle-Sears personally. So she’s got a couple things at her back.

    • Shawn Anderson:

      Now, 12 points at this point in the race, a 12 point lead overall. That is a heck of a lead this close to the election, isn’t it?

    • Scott Clement:

      It’s a wide lead and we’ve seen these races tighten sometimes in the final month, not always getting back to a full comeback. But it’s a significant lead. If it holds to election day, would be one of the larger victories for governor in Virginia.

    • Anne Kramer:

      Talk to us about independent voters. Where are they going for Spanberger here? Because that’s what it shows, right?

    • Scott Clement:

      That’s right. You see a couple of different patterns there. I mean, one it really mirrors some of the ratings of Trump and group that he did well. Spanberger is also uniquely doing well among independents compared with down ballot Democrats. So that’s actually one of the reasons that the Virginia attorney general and lieutenant governor races are closer, is that Democrat Jay Jones and Democrat because Allah Hashmi have smaller advantages among political independents. Democrats and Republicans, by contrast, are overwhelmingly lining up behind their party’s candidates.

    • Shawn Anderson:

      How much of a factor, if you could find it, is President Trump in shaping voter attitudes, particularly with what’s going on with the federal government shutdown right now?

    • Scott Clement:

      It’s big and it’s difficult to measure. We asked people to rate how important Trump was in their vote for governor, and you had a big majority saying that it was at least fairly important in their vote. It was particularly important for people who disapprove of Trump, but also for people who approve. And we asked the same question eight years ago during the governor’s election, then and more people say that Trump is important to their vote today than they did eight years ago. So it seemed very high at the time. It’s even higher this time around.

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  • Earle-Sears urges Spanberger not to be a ‘coward’ in talking about shutdown – WTOP News

    Virginia’s Republican Lieutenant Gov. and nominee for governor Winsome Earle-Sears said her opponent, Abigail Spanberger, needs to put her money where her mouth is when it comes to standing up for federal workers.

    Virginia’s Republican nominee for governor, Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears, said her Democratic opponent, Abigail Spanberger, needs to put her money where her mouth is when it comes to standing up for federal workers.

    Earle-Sears told WTOP’s Nick Iannelli on Friday that the government shutdown affecting federal employees across the state, and particularly in Northern Virginia, is not about politics, but leadership.

    It comes just a couple days after WTOP spoke with Spanberger, who said Earle-Sears should be focused on standing up for Virginia jobs as lieutenant governor, instead of blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

    Listen to Earle-Sears’ full conversation and read the transcript below.

    Virginia’s Republican Lieutenant Gov. and nominee for governor Winsome Earle-Sears speaks with WTOP’s Nick Iannelli about the government shutdown and its impact on the gubernatorial election.

    The transcript below has been lightly edited for clarity.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      What do you think? Is this shutdown going to impact the race that you’re in right now?

    • Winsome Earle-Sears:

      Well, this isn’t about politics. It’s about leadership, and Abigail Spanberger’s Democratic allies voted to shut down the government, and Virginians are the ones who are paying the price. It’s plain and simple.

      And Abigail Spanberger, all this time, all throughout summer, has been talking about the love that she has for federal workers. Well, you know how you show me love? It’s not to say it, it’s to do it, and that means show me love by telling Sens. Kane and Warner to get back to their jobs and vote against a shutdown. Vote to open the government back up so that our federal workers themselves can go back to their jobs.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      I did ask her that exact thing. She urged both parties to immediately start negotiating to come to a deal. That was her response.

    • Winsome Earle-Sears:

      Isn’t that a mealy mouthed response, both parties? All we needed was for seven senators, seven senators to come together, seven Democrats. And so now she’s blaming the Republican Party as well?

      Every House member who’s a Republican voted for it, and every senator who’s a Republican voted for it. Come on, Abigail, don’t be a coward on this.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      You two have a debate next week. Are you going to use the word “coward” in front of her during that debate?

    • Winsome Earle-Sears:

      I don’t know what will happen, except we will come forward and the voters will hear from us.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      Spanberger also told us that she thinks you should urge the Trump administration to avoid all this talk about mass layoffs given the saturation of federal employees, especially in Northern Virginia. What’s your response to that?

    • Winsome Earle-Sears:

      So let me go back to what I’ve originally said. Every single Republican House member voted to keep our government open. Every single Republican senator voted to keep our government open, and yet all we needed was seven Democrats to come forward and say, “let’s keep our government open so that our federal workers who reside in Virginia would keep their jobs,” and we couldn’t find them. So Abigail Spanberger now, you can’t ever get a straight answer from this woman.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      As it relates to the Trump administration’s threats for mass layoffs during the shutdown, though, have you had any conversations with the administration about that? You’ve urged Spanberger to lobby the Democratic senators to vote to keep the government open. She’s urging you to lobby the Trump administration to avoid these mass layoffs.

    • Winsome Earle-Sears:

      I have answered the question. All of this started because we could not find seven Democrat senators to vote against a shutdown.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      The Democrats are voting specifically against this because they argue that there should be an extension of subsidies for health care. Republicans say absolutely not. They won’t do that. So both sides are digging their heels in. Do you support the stand Republicans are taking then?

    • Winsome Earle-Sears:

      So here’s the deal. Republicans are trying to negotiate. And 13 of the times when this same possibility of a shutdown happened, the Democrats and the Republicans came to the table and said, “let’s negotiate.”

      And so what you have now are all of the Democrats saying that unless you agree to increase our deficit, our budget debt, by $1.5 trillion, we’re not going to negotiate. This $1.5 trillion that the Democrats want to add is going to be something that will help those who are illegally here. We cannot afford that.

    • Nick Iannelli:

      You have been talking almost exclusively about cultural issues, including the transgender policies in schools in Northern Virginia. Now that this government shutdown is overtaking just about every other issue in Northern Virginia and the D.C. region, do you think that there’s a risk now of those issues being overshadowed by this shutdown?

    • Winsome Earle-Sears:

      Are the children still going to school and having the girls undress in front of biological men? Is that still happening? Are biological girls still going to school and having to go to bathrooms with biological boys?

      Leaders have to take life as it comes, and life doesn’t give you one issue and one issue only, and after you’ve dealt with that, then it moves on. No, leaders have a basket of ideas that come, a basket of problems, and you have to be able to negotiate your way through them. And so we can talk about many things at one time.

      That’s how the real world works. So we can talk about a shutdown, which was caused by not being able to find seven Democratic senators who would keep our government open and also keep our girl children safe.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • Virginia voter guide: Early voting begins Friday for November election for governor, delegates, more – WTOP News

    Early voting begins Friday in a critical election in Virginia to determine the next governor, House of Delegates seats and a long list of local races.

    Early voting begins Friday in a critical election in Virginia to determine the next governor, House of Delegates seats and a long list of local races.

    Political pundits will be reading the tea leaves to determine whether Democrats are gaining momentum, one year removed from their overwhelming defeat in last year’s presidential election and one year ahead of the midterms they hope to win to regain control in Congress.

    The main event is the race for governor, which has pitted the current Republican lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, against Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger. The other major statewide offices of lieutenant governor and attorney general are also up for grabs.

    All 100 seats in Virginia’s House of Delegates are also on the ballot, though some are not contested. Democrats have a slim 51-49 majority headed into November.

    There’s also a slew of local races across Northern Virginia and the rest of the commonwealth.

    Dates at a glance

    • Early in-person voting: Sept. 19 through Nov. 1
    • Deadline to register or update voter registration: Oct. 24
    • Deadline to request mail-in or absentee ballot: Oct. 24
    • Election Day: Nov. 4

    Early in-person voting

    Before voting either early or on Election Day, be sure to register to vote or confirm your voter registration is up to date.

    For information on early voting locations, voters should check in with their city or county elections office. Each jurisdiction may have different policies regarding early voting, and early voting locations may differ from your Election Day polling place.

    Vote by mail

    In order to vote by mail in Virginia, voters must request a mail ballot, which can be done on the Virginia Department of Elections website.

    Mail ballots must be postmarked on or before Election Day and received by noon on Nov. 7.

    Voters should check in with their city of county elections office for information about drop boxes and their locations.

    Voting on Election Day

    Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 4. Voters in line by 7 p.m. will be able to cast a ballot.

    All voters need to provide an acceptable form of ID or sign an ID confirmation statement at the polls or vote a provisional ballot. Those who vote a provisional ballot will have until noon on the Friday after the election to deliver a copy of their ID to their jurisdiction’s election board or sign a confirmation statement in order for their ballot to be counted.

    The same rules apply when voting early.

    A list of acceptable forms of ID is available online.

    Who’s on the ballot?

    Statewide races

    Virginia is one of two states, along with New Jersey, that conducts statewide races, including its governor’s contest, in the year following a presidential election, meaning these races will draw attention from politicos across the U.S.

    The top of the ticket features the closely watched governor’s race between Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears and Democratic former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger.

    A Roanoke College poll released in August showed Spanberger ahead of Earle-Sears. Spanberger also has a hefty fundraising advantage, having raised more than $40 million for her campaign to Earle-Sears’ nearly $17 million, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.

    No matter who wins the general election, Virginia is set to elect a woman as governor for the first time this fall.

    For lieutenant governor, voters will decide between Democratic state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi and Republican radio host John Reid.

    Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares is seeking reelection, and is facing Democratic challenger Jay Jones, an attorney and former state delegate.

    House of Delegates

    All 100 House of Delegates seats are up for grabs during November’s election, but not all are contested. The contested races in the D.C. area are below:

    An asterisk denotes an incumbent. Locations are within district but do not provide the full scope of the voting area.

    • District 1, part of Arlington County
      • Patrick Hope, Democrat*
      • William “Bill” Moher III, Republican
    • District 2, part of Arlington County
      • Adele McClure, Democrat*
      • Wendy Sigley, Republican
    • District 6, Fairfax County (Great Falls, McLean)
      • Richard “Rip” Sullivan Jr., Democrat*
      • Kristin Hoffman, Republican
    • District 7, Fairfax County (Reston)
      • Karen Keys-Gamarra, Democrat*
      • Cassandra Aucoin, Republican
    • District 8, Fairfax County (Herndon, Oak Hill)
      • Irene Shin, Democrat*
      • Indira Massey, Republican
    • District 9, Fairfax County (Chantilly, Centreville)
      • Karrie Delaney, Democrat*
      • Nhan Huynh, Republican
    • District 10, Fairfax County (Centreville, Clifton, Braddock)
      • Dan Helmer, Democrat*
      • David Guill, Republican
    • District 11, City of Fairfax and Fairfax County (Oakton, Fair Oaks)
      • David Bulova, Democrat*
      • Adam Wise, Republican
      • Brandon Givens, Forward Party
    • District 12, Fairfax County (Tysons, Vienna, Merrifield)
      • Holly Seibold, Democrat*
      • Nelson Figueroa-Velez, Republican
    • District 13, Falls Church and Fairfax County (Merrifield, Seven Corners)
      • Marcus Simon, Democrat*
      • Sylwia Oleksy, Republican
      • Dave Crance Jr., Libertarian
    • District 14, Fairfax County (Annandale, Wakefield, Lincolnia)
      • Vivian Watts, Democrat*
      • Eric Johnson, Republican
    • District 15, Fairfax County (Burke)
      • Laura Jane Cohen, Democrat*
      • Saundra Davis, Republican
    • District 16, Fairfax County (Mount Vernon, Fort Hunt, Woodlawn)
      • Paul Krizek, Democrat*
      • Richard Hayden, Republican
      • Shelly Arnoldi, Independent
    • District 17, Fairfax County (Springfield, Franconia)
      • Mark Sickles, Democrat*
      • Naomi Mesfin, Republican
    • District 18, Fairfax County (Springfield, Newington, Lorton)
      • Kathy Tran, Democrat*
      • Edward McGovern, Republican
    • District 20, Manassas, Manassas Park, part of Prince William County
      • Michelle-Ann Lopes Maldonado, Democrat*
      • Christopher Stone, Republican
    • District 21, Prince William County (Bull Run, Gainesville)
      • Joshua Thomas, Democrat*
      • Gregory “Greg” Gorham, Republican
    • District 22, Prince William County (Linton Hall, Bristow, Nokesville, Buckhall)
      • Elizabeth Guzman, Democrat
      • Ian Lovejoy, Republican*
    • District 23, Prince William County (Dumfries, Triangle) and Stafford County (Boswell’s Corner, Aquia)
      • Candi King, Democrat*
      • James Tully, Republican
    • District 26, Loudoun County (Brambleton, Stone Ridge, South Riding)
      • JJ Singh, Democrat*
      • Ommair Butt, Republican
    • District 27, Loudoun County (Sterling, Sugarland Run, Dulles)
      • Atoosa Reaser, Democrat*
      • Junaid Khan, Republican
    • District 28, Loudoun County (Ashburn, Countryside)
      • David Reid, Democrat*
      • Janet Geisler, Republican
    • District 29, Loudoun County (Leesburg, Lansdowne)
      • Fernando “Marty” Martinez, Democrat*
      • Scott Thomas, Republican
    • District 30, Loudoun County (Purcellville) and Fauquier County (Marshall)
      • John McAuliff, Democrat
      • Geary Higgins, Republican*
    • District 61, Fauquier County (Warrenton, Bealeton) and parts of Culpeper and Rappahannock counties
      • Jacob “Jac” Bennington, Democrat
      • Michael Webert, Republican*

    Local races

    Most jurisdictions in Northern Virginia have local races of some sort, whether they are contests for mayor, county board, school board, city council or sheriff.

    Check the full list of local races on the Virginia Department of Elections website. Voters can also check in with their county or city electoral board for more information on local races.

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    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Thomas Robertson

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  • Virginia voter guide: Upcoming special election to fill late Rep. Connolly’s seat – WTOP News

    Virginia voters in Fairfax City and Fairfax County will head to the polls on Sept. 9 to elect a candidate to fill the Congressional seat vacated by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.

    Check back with WTOP for special election results on Sept. 9. WTOP will have election analysis and team coverage on air, online and on our social media platforms.

    From left, James Walkinshaw and Stewart Whitson meet in a forum in Virginia.(WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    Early voting is underway in a Virginia special election; voters in Fairfax City and Fairfax County will elect a candidate to fill the Congressional seat vacated by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.

    The special election on Sept. 9 to will select Connolly’s successor in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, which is home to more than 700,000 people. The district has become reliably Democratic; it includes all of Fairfax City and much of Fairfax County.

    Longtime Democratic Congressman Connolly died in May after a battle with cancer. He served the congressional district for 16 years.

    The special election will select Connolly’s successor in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, which is home to more than 700,000 people. The district has become reliably Democratic; it includes all of Fairfax City and much of Fairfax County.

    James Walkinshaw, Connolly’s former chief of staff and the Braddock District supervisor, won the Democratic primary back in June. Before his death, Connolly endorsed Walkinshaw as his successor.

    Stewart Whitson, a former FBI agent and Army combat veteran, is the Republican nominee.

    Most early voting locations opened Aug. 29.

    Friday is also the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot. Requests must be received by 5 p.m.

    Here’s what you need to know.

    Dates at a glance:

    • Deadline to apply for mail-in ballot: Friday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m.
    • In-person early voting: Now through Saturday, Sept. 6
    • 11th Congressional District Special Election Day: Tuesday, Sept. 9. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    WTOP’s Scott Gelman spoke with both candidates in July about key issues.

    Voting in-person

    Look up your polling place online.

    Voters can register or update existing registration online through Tuesday, Sept. 2.

    If you miss the deadline, there’s still the option to cast a provisional ballot anytime through election day. A local electoral board reviews those provisional ballots before they are counted.

    Make sure to bring along a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license, military ID or passport.

    Nine early voting locations opened on Friday, Aug. 29:

    • Burke Centre Regional, Centreville Regional, Great Falls and Herndon Fortnightly libraries.
    • Franconia, Sully and West Springfield governmental centers.
    • Jim Scott and Lorton community centers.

    Two government centers had opened for early voting in July: the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax and the North County Governmental Center in Reston.

    Early voting ends the Saturday before the special election, Sept. 6.

    For details on the hours the early voting locations are open, head to the Fairfax County government website. All early voting locations will be closed on Labor Day.

    Those who are 65 years old and older or who have a disability have the option of curbside voting during early voting or on election day.

    Voting absentee

    To be counted, the absentee ballots need to be mailed with a postmark on or before Sept. 9.

    Ballots must be put in a drop box by 7 p.m. on Sept. 9 or postmarked by Sept. 9

    Those ballots need to be received by the office of elections by noon on Friday, Sept. 12.

    The deadline has passed to request an absentee ballot. The application was due by Friday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. for a mail-in ballot.

    Virginians who are overseas can find instructions on absentee voting on the Virginia Department of Elections website for more information.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

    © 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

    Jessica Kronzer

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  • Virginia voter guide: Upcoming special election to fill late Rep. Connolly’s seat – WTOP News

    Virginia voters in Fairfax City and Fairfax County will head to the polls on Sept. 9 to elect a candidate to fill the Congressional seat vacated by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.

    Check back with WTOP for special election results on Sept. 9. WTOP will have election analysis and team coverage on air, online and on our social media platforms.

    From left, James Walkinshaw and Stewart Whitson meet in a forum in Virginia.(WTOP/Scott Gelman)

    Early voting is underway in a Virginia special election; voters in Fairfax City and Fairfax County will elect a candidate to fill the Congressional seat vacated by the late Rep. Gerry Connolly.

    The special election on Sept. 9 to will select Connolly’s successor in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, which is home to more than 700,000 people. The district has become reliably Democratic; it includes all of Fairfax City and much of Fairfax County.

    Longtime Democratic Congressman Connolly died in May after a battle with cancer. He served the congressional district for 16 years.

    The special election will select Connolly’s successor in Virginia’s 11th Congressional District, which is home to more than 700,000 people. The district has become reliably Democratic; it includes all of Fairfax City and much of Fairfax County.

    James Walkinshaw, Connolly’s former chief of staff and the Braddock District supervisor, won the Democratic primary back in June. Before his death, Connolly endorsed Walkinshaw as his successor.

    Stewart Whitson, a former FBI agent and Army combat veteran, is the Republican nominee.

    Most early voting locations opened Friday.

    Friday is also the deadline to apply for a mail-in ballot. Requests must be received by 5 p.m.

    Here’s what you need to know.

    Dates at a glance:

    • Deadline to apply for mail-in ballot: Friday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m.
    • In-person early voting: Now through Saturday, Sept. 6
    • 11th Congressional District Special Election Day: Tuesday, Sept. 9. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

    WTOP’s Scott Gelman spoke with both candidates in July about key issues.

    Voting in-person

    Look up your polling place online.

    Voters can register or update existing registration online through Tuesday, Sept. 2.

    If you miss the deadline, there’s still the option to cast a provisional ballot anytime through election day. A local electoral board reviews those provisional ballots before they are counted.

    Make sure to bring along a valid form of identification, such as a driver’s license, military ID or passport.

    Nine early voting locations opened on Friday, Aug. 29:

    • Burke Centre Regional, Centreville Regional, Great Falls and Herndon Fortnightly libraries.
    • Franconia, Sully and West Springfield governmental centers.
    • Jim Scott and Lorton community centers.

    Two government centers had opened for early voting in July: the Fairfax County Government Center in Fairfax and the North County Governmental Center in Reston.

    Early voting ends the Saturday before the special election, Sept. 6.

    For details on the hours the early voting locations are open, head to the Fairfax County government website. All early voting locations will be closed on Labor Day.

    Those who are 65 years old and older or who have a disability have the option of curbside voting during early voting or on election day.

    Voting absentee

    If you want to sign up to vote absentee, you have to apply by Friday, Aug. 29 at 5 p.m. for a mail-in ballot.

    To be counted, the absentee ballots need to be mailed with a postmark on or before Sept. 9.

    Ballots must be put in a drop box by 7 p.m. on Sept. 9 or postmarked by Sept. 9

    Those ballots need to be received by the office of elections by noon on Friday, Sept. 12.

    Virginians who are overseas can find instructions on absentee voting on the Virginia Department of Elections website for more information.

    Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

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    Jessica Kronzer

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  • Fairfax Co. schools abortion allegations fuel new political firestorm in Virginia governor’s race – WTOP News

    Gov. Glenn Youngkin has ordered state police to investigate explosive allegations from a conservative blog that Fairfax County Public Schools officials helped multiple underage girls obtain abortions in 2021.

    This article was reprinted with permission from Virginia Mercury. 

    Gov. Glenn Youngkin has ordered state police to investigate explosive allegations from a conservative blog that Fairfax County Public Schools officials helped multiple underage girls obtain abortions in 2021 — a probe whose findings may not surface before Election Day but could still sway voters in the court of public opinion.

    Virginia law requires minors to obtain either parental consent or a successful court petition to undergo the procedure. Such records are also exempt from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act.

    The Mercury asked the Fairfax County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court whether any petitions were filed at all in 2021 and how many have been filed in subsequent years, which they did not provide.

    Still, the possibility that a public school broke state law and bypassed parents’ consent rights is quickly becoming a political talking point for Republican candidates this year.

    ‘Gift that keeps on giving’

    Against the backdrop of an ongoing effort to enshrine reproductive rights into Virginia’s constitution, Republican gubernatorial nominee Winsome Earle-Sears has seized on the allegations.

    At a recent campaign event in Chesterfield County, she welcomed the story’s circulation in the news cycle.

    “I don’t know if you also saw what’s happening in Northern Virginia — it’s just a gift that keeps on giving,” Earle-Sears said as the crowd laughed.

    It cheered after she added: “Parents. Still. Matter.”

    Political analyst Bob Holsworth said the controversy echoes of Youngkin’s successful 2021 campaign, when allegations of a sexual assault in a Loudoun County school bathroom sparked national furor over transgender students’ use of restrooms.

    Investigations and legal proceedings extended well beyond the campaign, but by then “Parents for Youngkin” signs and “parents matter” chants had become staples of his rallies. Youngkin went on to win the governorship, and Republicans flipped the House of Delegates for a term.

    “Interestingly, the target audience is not voters in Fairfax and Loudoun,” Holsworth said of the Democratic strongholds, “but Republicans elsewhere in the commonwealth.”

    The allegations first surfaced in WC Dispatch, an Ohio-based conservative blog run by independent investigative journalist Walter Curt Jr. His father, Walter Curt Sr., is a Youngkin appointee to the Virginia State Council of Higher Education and has donated thousands of dollars to both Youngkin and Earle-Sears. Curt Jr. told Virginia Scope that his familiar ties don’t affect his reporting.

    Holsworth suggested that GOP campaigns are aiming to “get these issues aired on Fox News so they can deliver a message across Virginia in a way that Democrats can’t.”

    That’s because the claim itself  — whether ultimately proven or false — is already enough to stoke concerns among some voters about public schools encroaching on parental rights. Defending parental oversight in K-12 education been a consistent Republican theme in Virginia politics.

    If the allegation proves true, Earle-Sears has vowed accountability.

    “Your underage daughter can’t get an aspirin without your permission,” she wrote on X on Aug. 19. “Yet a Virginia school may have taken a young girl for an abortion, in secret, using your tax dollars. If true, it’s monstrous, and there will be consequences.”

    The legal wait-and-see

    Pending the outcome of the state police investigation, any responsibility to prosecute would fall to Fairfax County Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano, who has declined to comment.

    Carl Tobias, a law professor at the University of Richmond, noted that the timeline for an investigation is uncertain. While the number of people involved doesn’t appear large he said, the allegation dates back four years —a factor that could complicate evidence gathering and examination.

    Tobias added that Republicans could “make a lot of political hay of it” heading into the elections, especially since Fairfax’s commonwealth’s attorney has been a frequent target of Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares.

    Miyares, who is up for reelection this year, has long pushed for changes in state law that would allow the state to intervene in local prosecutions and has repeatedly attacked Descano as being too lenient.

    A potential prosecution arising from the Fairfax abortion allegation could even spill into the next gubernatorial term.

    Democratic gubernatorial nominee Abigail Spanberger is also watching closely. Her campaign said in an email to The Mercury that she “will be monitoring the status of the Virginia State Police’s investigation and will support appropriate action to uphold Virginia law.”

    The campaign also highlighted Spanberger’s perspective as a mother of three young girls who attend public school, adding: “She believes that decisions about a child’s health and safety should always be made between them and their parents.”

    Fairfax vs. everyone else

    Beyond the locality’s prosecutor, Fairfax County Public Schools has become a lightning rod for criticism from parents as well as state and federal leaders.

    Among the most polarizing decisions: overhauling admissions at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology to promote greater diversity, and resisting statewide transgender policies that would have required schools to out transgender students or restrict pronoun use.

    The division is also arranging a security detail for Superintendent Michelle Reid.

    After the abortion allegations surfaced, Reid wrote to the school community that the conduct described “would be unacceptable” in the district.

    “I want to stress that at no time would the situation as described in these allegations be acceptable in Fairfax County Public Schools,” Reid said.

    The school district has also stated that it will “fully cooperate” with the investigation but cannot comment further while it is ongoing.

    Reproductive laws in campaigns

    Beyond Earle-Sears’ bid for governor and the lieutenant governor and attorney general races, all 100 House of Delegates seats are up for election this year.

    Looming over those contests is an ongoing effort to enshrine reproductive rights — including abortion — into the state’s constitution. The measure must pass the legislature again next year before appearing on a statewide ballot for voter approval or rejection.

    While every Republican in the General Assembly voted against the proposal this year, they first attempted to add language reflecting existing state law on minors’ access to abortion. Democrats rejected that effort, pointing out that a U.S. Supreme Court case also affirms parental consent under the 14th Amendment.

    Even so, the possibility that someone may have broken the law in Fairfax is “alarming,” said Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, who is carrying  the Senate version of the reproductive rights amendment.

    “We should all be deeply concerned anytime anyone says they have been forced, misled or coerced into life-changing decisions about their reproductive health,” she said.

    While Boysko did not specifically address the amendment in her comments, she added that she is confident the investigation will “shed light on the facts of the case.”

    Jessica Kronzer

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