Democrats in Virginia have taken control of the state legislature.
Democrats flipped the House of Delegates and maintained control of the state Senate, retaking full control of the state legislature after two years of divided power.
In the run-up to Tuesday’s election, Democrats hammered their Republican opponents on abortion, painting then as extremists who want to ban the procedure.
It certainly did not help that Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) was telling media outlets before the election that if Republicans take full control of the state legislature his office to enact a “reasonable” 15-week abortion ban with exceptions for rape, incest and saving the life of the mother.
“It’s official: there will be absolutely no abortion ban legislation sent to Glenn Youngkin’s desk for the duration of his term in office, period, as we have thwarted MAGA Republicans’ attempt to take total control of our government and our bodies,” Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke said in a statement, according to the Associated Press.
The outcome also dealt a massive blow to Youngkin who threw himself on the line for Republican candidates and predicted hours before polls close that the GOP will end up with unified control of the state legislature after the election.
Tuesday’s electoral victories not just in Virginia, but in Ohio and Kentucky, shows that abortion remains a key issue for voters one year after the conservative majority on the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, which bodes well for Democrats heading into 2024.
“This is a huge sign of Democrats’ continued momentum heading into 2024,” Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison said. “With so much on the line, voters showed up at the ballot box and sent the GOP a stark warning — betting big on the MAGA agenda doesn’t fly with everyday Americans, and it will cost them once again in 2024.”
