RICHMOND, Va. -- Vote tallies continue across the Commonwealth, but unofficial election results seem to verify what multiple election officials reported to CBS6 Tuesday: voter turnout was sizeable in Virginia for the midterm elections.
As of Wednesday afternoon, with a small number of ballots still out and the official canvass of the vote still to come, the overall vote total in Virginia’s 11 congressional races was approaching three million. For context, it would be the second-highest vote total for a Virginia midterm election this century, trailing only the 2018 midterms during the Trump presidency.
There are more registered voters in Virginia now than in previous midterms, and even though the final counts are not in yet, nearly 50% of registered voters in Virginia cast ballots in 2022, according to numbers posted as of Wednesday afternoon.
The only congressional seat to change hands in Virginia was VA-02 in Virginia Beach, where Republican Jen Kiggans defeated incumbent Rep. Elaine Luria (D). Both Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) and Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D) held onto their seats despite GOP optimism that would flip.
Both of those races were signals that the expected “red wave” across the country might not materialize, experts said.
Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin (R) lent his voice to GOP candidates in Virginia and nationwide.
“We knew those races were in the margin of error all along. They were tough, and they’re tough incumbent candidates. And so we while we had hoped for victories, and we had super candidates, those were tough races,” Youngkin said of the three competitive races in Virginia. “We've said all along that we thought that the Republican road to a majority in the House of Representatives would go through the 2nd congressional district. I think that's going to prove out to be quite prescient.”
While the results were not what his party had hoped for, Youngkin noted nationally, voters still likely delivered a split government in D.C.
“I do think that what the election shows is that Americans are pretty divided right now. And I'm hoping that the new Congress and the President can do a good job of bringing people together and get things done,” Youngkin said.
Susan Swecker, the chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, said she woke up with a smile on her face Wednesday after only a few hours of sleep. Swecker sees campaigns like the one run by Spanberger in VA-07 as a path for Democrats to cut down rural margins and grow their party in future elections.
“She doesn't just march in lockstep with all the smart people across the Potomac, right? She actually talks to voters in her district. And she looks for common-sense solutions. And if it makes sense, she's with the Democrats. If it doesn't make sense, she's going to carve out something else,” Swecker said.
Like Youngkin, Swecker said she hopes Congress can move past election season rhetoric to get things done for average voters, but she views the path to the goal very differently based on Tuesday’s results.
“It takes two to tango on that. When you vote, you're an election denier, and you say Joe Biden didn't win the election, it’s really hard to move past that. I think this cycle this year showed people are tired of that,” Swecker said.
While the votes tallies are still being finalized this year, both party leaders note there is an election every single year in Virginia.
In 2023, all 140 seats in the Virginia General Assembly will be up for grabs. Republicans currently control the House of Delegates by a slim margin, and Democrats control the Virginia Senate by an even smaller gap.
