Dems see gains in Virginia’s House of Delegates

Virginia Democrats made significant gains in the state’s House of Delegates on Tuesday, capping off a victorious night that also saw them win three major statewide contests.

The Democrats have unseated at least four GOP incumbents, and were leading in races in Prince William County and Loudon County, according to The Washington Post.

By Tuesday night, Democrats were up 13 seats, holding 47 seats in total, according to The New York Times.    

Among those who won was Danica Roem, a former journalist, who became the state’s first openly transgender state legislator. 

Twenty-three Democrats across the state ran uncontested, as compared to only 10 Republicans who faced no opposition in their races. 

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The wins come on the tail of Democratic candidate Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam’s victory against Republican Ed Gillespie in the state’s gubernatorial race. Many viewed the race as a referendum on President Trump. 

Democrats Justin Fairfax and Mark Herring also won for the state’s lieutenant governor and attorney general, respectively. 

“This is an unbelievable night,” Virginia House Minority Leader David Toscano (D) of Charlottesville told The Washington Post, pointing to “some very strong upsets” that Democrats had not predicted.