Democrats who gathered to watch the returns were richly rewarded in Albemarle County with a strong win by Senator Creigh Deeds. He told reporters that the issue of abortion was an important one for him and his party.
"If you look at poll after poll after poll, the governor’s rhetoric about a 15-week abortion ban is just not what the people of Virginia are ready to vote for. It was a huge gamble on his part, and it looks like it was a mistake."
He also took the occasion to scold Governor Glenn Youngkin for getting tax rebate checks to voters a few days before the election.
“The governor and his party in the House of Delegates forced us to cut taxes, but the rebates were actually the idea of the Democratic caucus in the Senate. We’re the ones who said we’re going to have one-time rebates. We’re the ones who cut that deal.”
Deeds said he would continue to work for improved mental healthcare in the Commonwealth and more money for public education.
"We owe it to the people of Virginia to come up with a solution for the JLAEC report that shows we’re underfunding K-12 education to the tune of $1,800 per student. We’ve simply got to figure that out.”
Other winners in yesterday’s vote included Democrat Amy Laufer, who will serve in the House of Delegates and County School Board candidate Allison Spillman who bested conservative Meg Scalia Bryce.
Long-time County Supervisor Ann Mallek kept her seat despite a strong challenge from a critic of development in Crozet.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
