The News
Virginians will vote in the year’s first special elections, an early test of Democratic and Republican enthusiasm as the Biden administration ends.
Democrats are defending a state House and state Senate seat in the DC exurbs, which they’d previously won by 22 points; Republicans are confident about holding the 10th state Senate district, which Trump won by 29 points in November.
Both parties mobilized volunteers during the short early vote period, warning of the coming winter storm, which has snarled traffic and closed schools in all three districts. But Democrats were encouraged by high turnout in places where support for Trump was weakest in November, and local and national candidates — including Democrats running for DNC chair — rallied and helped raise money.
Democrats hold a 21-19 seat advantage in the state Senate and a 51-49 seat advantage in the House of Delegates, and losing either suburban seat would empower Gov. Glenn Youngkin in his final year.