Virginia held its general election on November 7, 2017, deciding 100 legislative seats and 3 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control. The Senate was not up for regular election this cycle.
Highlights
- Democrats nearly erased a 66-34 Republican House majority. Republicans kept the chamber by 51-49 only because one tied race was decided by drawing a name from a bowl. The new House then elected Kirk Cox speaker in January.
- Democrats swept all three statewide offices in an election widely considered a repudiation of President Donald Trump. Ralph Northam (D) beat Ed Gillespie (R) by about 9 points, the widest Democratic win since 1985 in a governor's race. Gillespie, whom Trump endorsed, attacked Northam on immigration enforcement to court Trump supporters. Justin Fairfax (D) beat state Sen. Jill Vogel (R) for lieutenant governor by about 5 points, and Attorney General Mark Herring (D) was reelected over John Adams (R) by about 7 points.
- All 15 House seats that changed hands went from Republicans to Democrats, putting Democrats within striking distance of their first House majority since the 1990s. Among the winners:
- Danica Roem (D) unseated Del. Bob Marshall (R) in House District 13 to become the first openly transgender state legislator in the country. Marshall had served since 1992 and sponsored a bill that would have restricted which bathrooms she could use.
- Kathy Tran (D) won the open House District 42 as the first Asian-American woman elected to the House.
- Hala Ayala (D) and Elizabeth Guzmán (D) were among the first Latinas elected to the General Assembly. Ayala ousted Del. Rich Anderson (R) in House District 51, and Guzmán ousted Del. Scott Lingamfelter (R) in House District 31.
- Lee Carter (D), a Marine Corps veteran and self-described Democratic socialist, unseated House Majority Whip Jackson Miller (R) in House District 50.
- Chris Hurst (D), a former southwest Virginia TV anchor whose girlfriend, Alison Parker, was killed on live TV in 2015, unseated Del. Joseph Yost (R) in House District 12 by about 2,000 votes.
- Control came down to four House recounts, and Republicans kept three of the seats:
- In House District 94, Shelly Simonds (D) appeared to win by one vote after the recount. A three-judge court then counted one more ballot for Del. David Yancey (R), tying the race, and Yancey won the January drawing.
- In House District 28, the seat retiring Speaker Bill Howell left open, Bob Thomas (R) beat Joshua Cole (D) by fewer than 100 votes. Some voters there voted in the wrong House race.
- In House District 40, Del. Tim Hugo (R) beat Donte Tanner (D) by about 100 votes and held on after a recount.
- In House District 68, Dawn Adams (D) unseated Del. Manoli Loupassi (R) by fewer than 400 votes. Loupassi requested a recount after conceding, and the recount confirmed Adams's win.
- Two other Republican-held seats were decided by fewer than 400 votes. Cheryl Turpin (D) unseated Del. Rocky Holcomb (R) in House District 85, and Del. Roxann Robinson (R) held House District 27 by about 130 votes.
Legislature
- House of Delegates (100 seats): 34 D, 66 R before the election, 49 D, 51 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
- Senate (40 seats): 19 D, 21 R before the election, 19 D, 21 R after; control stayed with Republicans.
Statewide races
| Race | Winner | Others | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | Ralph Northam (D) 53.9% | Ed Gillespie (R) 44.97%, Cliff Hyra (L) 1.07% | |
| Attorney General | Mark Herring (D) 53.39% | John Adams (R) 46.61% | |
| Lt. Governor | Justin E. Fairfax (D) 52.7% | Jill Vogel (R) 47.3% |