Washington, D.C. – Virginia Republicans anxious to see the party’s takeover of the state House of Delegates in the November election affirmed got what they wanted Friday after election officials in the southeastern part of the commonwealth determined Republican Karen Greenhalgh had won the crucial 51st seat.
Greenleigh led Delegate Alex Askew by 127 votes on Nov. 2 but, as the difference between the two was less than 0.5 percent, the incumbent Democrat availed himself of the option of having the votes recounted at public expense.
He still lost, election officials determined, but by just 115 votes out of more than 28,000 cast, The Washington Post reported.
“House Republicans are excited to begin working for the people of Virginia,” Del. Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah), who has been elected by the GOP caucus to serve as Speaker of the House once the General Assembly session gets underway on Jan. 12, said in a statement. “Now that the majority is official, we can move forward with a timely transition as to be prepared to work on day one.”
Gilbert is expected to work closely with GOP Gov-elect Glenn Youngkin to move the incoming chief executive’s priorities including a repeal of the sales taxes on groceries through the legislature despite the Democrats having a one-vote majority in the Virginia Senate.
“While this is not the outcome we hoped for, I continue to be filled with optimism for the future of our Commonwealth and of the city of Virginia Beach,” Askew said in a release issued shortly after election officials announced the results. A recount in a second race occurs next week in Hampton, Va., where Republican A.C. Cordoza is ahead of incumbent Democratic Del. Martha M. Mugler by 94 votes out of 27,836 votes cast. If Cordoza is declared the winner, the Republicans will control the House of Delegates, 52-48.
By winning all three statewide constitutional offices in Virginia on Nov. 2 as well as retaking control of the House of Delegates, Virginia Republicans positioned themselves at the forefront of a “Red Wave” that some election observers say foreshadows a rout of Democrats running just about anywhere in America in 2002, leaving the GOP in a position to retake the White House in November 2024.
Peter Roff can be reached at RoffColumns AT GMAIL.com. Follow him on Twitter @PeterRoff.
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Peter Roff
Peter Roff is affiliated with several Washington, D.C. public policy organizations and is a former U.S. News and World Report contributing editor who appears regularly as a commentator on the One America News network. He can be reached by email at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PeterRoff.
Way to go Virginia
Dear Virginians – when things get better under GOP control, DO NOT FORGET how bad things were before the GOP made things better for you and your families.
Morning Dom… long time no see (or read as the case may be). Not to rain on your parade, but please remember the propensity of Republicans to forget their promises once in power. Better for the good voters of VA to keep the fire to their feet so as to improve the Republican Party’s memory issues…
You have to see what goes on behind the scenes, lobbyists get hold of them and either blackmail or threaten their families to do their bidding. Politics is a dirty game, Thats why the military asked President Trump to run, they knew he was “Clean”, could not be bought, bribed or threatened with blackmail He brought his own security and doesnt take a salary
Some sanity returns to a proud Southern state. I’ve tentatively put it back on my vacation visit list. I’m anxious to see if the area outside of the Washington, DC swamp will continue to take the State back for its citizens.
It is beyond comprehension that so many Virginians will vote for the destructive and demonic DemoncRats
Just a few crumbs for the crackers. The communists have always used the old “2 steps forward, one step back” strategy to lull the concerned citizen asleep . Wait until the rigged voting machines weigh in for the national elections. No way they will relinquish the power the coup brought them.
Thats great news. Just hope Glenn Youngkin is not a rino, because as soon as he won he went straight to a Mosque? And he was part of a an organisation that is very much deep state? Just keep an eye on his policies and behaviour?
We left VA due to it’s demnazi politics. Glad to see this, but, all it takes is a “few” of the semi-libs, to change it back to commie country! Tom
“Yes, Virginia, there is a Christmas” an old quote!