Democrats will retain control of the Virginia Senate, CNN projects, maintaining their foothold in state government and effectively ending Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s hopes of governing with Republican majorities and enacting his conservative agenda.
Control of the state legislature was at stake in this year’s election, with Republicans defending their narrow majority in the state House. Youngkin, who has been touted as a potential late entrant into the 2024 Republican presidential race currently dominated by Donald Trump, spent much of the past few months rallying GOP voters toward a hoped-for governing trifecta.
The elections were also seen, for better or for worse, as a referendum on Youngkin’s non-MAGA brand of conservative politics and the state legislative candidates who subscribe to it.
But with Democrats projected to hold on to the state Senate, Youngkin may have lost the opportunity to portray himself as the rare GOP leader with some distance from the MAGA brand and a record of winning over some Democrats.
The result also underscores the power of abortion politics after yet another campaign waged with reproductive rights as a central issue broke in Democrats’ favor. Youngkin had vowed that if Republicans won full control of the Virginia legislature, they would pass and he would sign legislation to outlaw abortions after 15 weeks, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother.
Going into the election, Virginia Democrats held a 22-17 majority in the state Senate, with one vacancy. Republicans currently control the state House 48-46 with six vacancies.
CNN’s Ethan Cohen, Molly Gahagen and Melissa Holzberg DePalo contributed to this report.
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