Virginia Democrats Keep Control After Key Wins

In the heart of Virginia, Democrats snagged two big wins in special elections. These wins happened in the northern county of Loudoun. Both spots were empty after politicians moved to higher roles. Democrat Kannan Srinivasan, who's been in the state House, won a Senate seat. He beat Republican Tumay Harding. The seat was free after Sen. Suhas Subramanyam headed to Congress. In another race, Democrat JJ Singh, a small business owner, won a spot in the House. He bested Republican Ram Venkatachalam. Singh's win was after Srinivasan decided to run for the Senate. Plus, Republican Luther Cifers, a kayak sales boss, won a Senate seat west of Richmond. He beat Democrat Jack Trammell. This seat was open after Sen. John McGuire won a congressional spot. While Democrats were favored, these elections were a test of Virginia's political scene. The state's hosting a big governor's race this year, and Republicans have been making gains. After these wins, Democrats have slim leads. They'll have 21-19 control in the Senate and 51-49 in the House. These wins are key because a loss could've flipped control to Republicans. The Democrats focused on partisan control, reproductive rights, and gun safety. They're keen to push for a constitutional amendment on abortion rights. These wins matter for the last year of Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's term. They could block his policy wins as he mulls higher office. The governor's race in November will be a big deal. Republicans have a front-runner in Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears. The Democrats have U. S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger running.