Ballots are still being tallied, but Virginia Sen. Mark Warner and the three incumbent Democratic Congressmen representing parts of Fairfax County have all claimed victory in today’s general election.
Statewide, Democrats can also celebrate the expected passage of three amendments to Virginia’s constitution that will protect access to abortion and other reproductive health care, eliminate an outdated ban on same-sex marriage and restore voting rights to people convicted of felonies after they finish serving their prison sentence.
Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger cheered the approval of the reproductive-health measure as a critical step in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which had protected the right to an abortion for decades.
“Our Commonwealth remains the only state in the South that has not restricted women’s reproductive freedoms since the Dobbs decision,” Spanberger said in a statement. “Now, because Virginians used their voices at the ballot box, these rights will be enshrined in our Constitution. No politician can threaten our right to choose, right to privacy, right to access IVF, or right to contraception.”
With control of Congress at stake, Warner is poised for a fourth and final term in the U.S. Senate with roughly 60% of the vote over Republican challenger Bert Mizusawa, as of 9 p.m., according to unofficial returns from the Virginia Department of Election. The Associated Press called the race for the Democrat as soon as polls closed at 7 p.m.
At an election night rally in Alexandria, Warner attributed his decision to run one last campaign at 71 years old to his daughter Madison, who died in April at 36 after grappling with juvenile diabetes and other health issues.
“What she said particularly in the last months of her life was ‘Dad, you’ve got the power,'” Warner said. “While there’s not a day that our family doesn’t desperately miss Madison and the joy she brought to our lives and so many others, I know I’m more committed to that notion of having been rehired tonight to commit every day I’m in that job to making things better.”
Suggesting that the existing system “failed” his daughter, Warner declared that it’s “time to bring universal health care to America.” He also hinted at artificial intelligence regulations, increasing the housing supply, restoring health care and food benefit cuts, and addressing allegations of “corruption and graft” in the Trump administration as priorities for his last term in Congress.
The AP is also projecting that Reps. James Walkinshaw (D-11), Don Beyer (D-8) and Suhas Subramanyam (D-10) will prevail over Republican challengers in their respective Congressional races.
Defeating Fairfax County Taxpayer Alliance President Arthur Purves for what will be his first full Congressional term after winning a special election last year to succeed the late Rep. Gerry Connolly, Walkinshaw said the results of today’s election renewed his optimism two years after Democrats were left reeling by Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.
“I still believe in the basic goodness of the American people, the people of Virginia, the strength of our communities to survive this terrible moment and come out on the other side even stronger,” Walkinshaw said in a victory speech. “Let’s celebrate what we’ve accomplished together, and tomorrow, let’s roll up our sleeves and get to work, to make our government work again, the make the American dream affordable again and to build a country that our children deserve to inherit.”
Beyer similarly said this election had renewed his faith in the country and his commitment to earning the “trust of the people who’ve been most harmed by this terrible administration,” while Subramanyam thanked voters in the 10th Congressional District for trusting him “to continue serving them at a time when our community and country are at a crossroads.”
Beyer is currently in his sixth term representing southeastern Fairfax County, Alexandria City and Arlington in Congress. He faced challenges from Republican Tony Sabio, Libertarian Shelly Arnoldi, and independent candidate Tim Sharman.
In his first reelection bid, Subramanyam fended off Republican Dave Beckwith and independent candidate Ahsen Mujeeb Malik.
Elsewhere on the ballot, Fairfax County voters showed support for two bond referendums to fund parks and human services capital projects, with more than two-thirds of the electorate voting “yes” to both measures.
The Nov. 3 election also included local races for mayor and council in Fairfax City and the Town of Herndon.
