ROANOKE, Va. – In just two weeks, Virginians will be heading to the polls and voting for who they want to represent them in Richmond.
All 140 seats in both Virginia’s State Senate and House of Delegates are up for grabs.
J. Miles Coleman with the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics said a Republican trifecta could happen for the first time since the ‘90s.
“So, it would be interesting if Republicans could get a trifecta. That’s what we call when the governorship and both chambers of legislatures. If they can get the trifecta despite the blue trend that Virginia has seen,” said Coleman.
Currently, the General Assembly is divided.
The State Senate is controlled by Democrats with 22 out of 40 seats. Democrats hold 18 seats in the Senate.
In the House of Delegates, Republicans are in charge with 49 out of 100 seats. Democrats hold 46 seats and there are currently five vacancies.
“It looks like the state senate leans a bit towards Democrats,” said Coleman. “The state House of Delegates seems like it’s more of a toss-up.”
Some changes this year – redistricting and a record number of retirements.
“We’ve seen a waiver of time in the legislature where you have so many members saying, ‘My District has changed so much, I’m not going to bother running for another term,’” explained Coleman.
10 incumbents in the Senate will not be running for re-election, five Republicans and five Democrats.
32 incumbents in the House will not be seeking re-election, 17 Democrats and 15 Republicans.
While Virginia Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin is not on the ballot this November, he still has a lot riding on this year’s election outcome.
“This is basically his midterm election,” said Coleman. “If he runs [for President] down the road, say in 2028, he’s going to want to say, ‘These are the conservative policies I passed in Virginia and this is why I would be a good nominee.’”