Democrats in the House of Delegates in Virginia have conceded the majority to Republicans, capping off a victorious week for conservatism in the Old Dominion state.
Their concession came after Republicans swept the gubernatorial and House of Delegates race on Nov. 2, flipping Virginia from solidly blue to red, signaling what appears to be the beginning of a conservative comeback in American politics.
Republican Governor-elect Glenn Youngkin soared to victory in the Virginia gubernatorial race, beating out Democrat candidate Terry McAuliffe, becoming the first Republican governor since 2009. In the House of Delegates race, Republicans flipped six seats, edging out the previous Democrat majority and cementing their return to political power. Additionally, Republican Winsome Sears was elected as the state’s first woman of color as Lieutenant Governor, while Republican Jason Miyares scored another conservative win by winning the race for Attorney General.
Virginia Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn responded to the concession and the outcome of the House of Delegates elections:
“House Democrats have set a national example for bold, progressive leadership, and I am incredibly proud of everything we have done to move Virginia forward…I am also proud of the campaigns our incumbents and challengers ran…unfortunately, the headwinds were too strong, and the maps drawn by the previous majority presented a challenge that was too great to overcome. We will dearly miss our colleagues who will not be with us the next term, but we will ensure their legacies are preserved.”
Virginia was just one of several races across the nation that was swept with the “Red Wave” of Republican victories. Republican and Washington outsider Mike Carey was elected to serve in Ohio’s 15th Congressional District, and the state of Pennsylvania scored several conservative victories in the judicial races.
Speaker Filler-Corn asserted that House Democrats were far from defeated in spirit, contending that they would “continue to work hard to build a better Virginia for our constituents and for everyone who calls our Commonwealth home.”
Unfortunately for Democrats in Virginia, the voters have overwhelmingly rejected the left’s progressive agenda and embraced a new, homegrown form of conservatism, pushing back on radical agenda items that have trickled down from the federal level, thanks to Joe Biden’s administrative wildly unpopular policies and mandates.
What’s next for Virginia, now that the House and the Governor’s Office has been flipped to red? Voters will be watching to see if the Republicans in leadership positions take firm, conservative stances on policy issues in Congress, and whether or not they remain true to the will of the people who voted them in.