VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (AP) — The Democrat running for a closely contested Virginia state Senate seat had a narrow lead after a special election Tuesday, according to unofficial results from the state.
Democrat Aaron Rouse was leading Republican Kevin Adams by several hundred votes in the race for state Senate District 7 as of Wednesday morning, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. Some absentee and provisional ballots remain to be counted.
Rouse declared victory Tuesday night, though Adams has not conceded. Adams' campaign manager didn't immediately return a call seeking comment Wednesday morning.
The Associated Press is not tabulating or calling the race.
The outcome of the race would not flip Democrats' narrow control the state Senate. Republicans control the House of Delegates.
The 7th District, based mostly in Virginia Beach with a few thousand Norfolk voters, was open after Republican state Sen. Jen Kiggans was elected to Congress in November. She defeated U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria, a Democrat.
The 7th District has been represented by Republicans for over a decade, though Kiggans narrowly won in 2019.
The winner of the race will finish the year-long remainder of Kiggans’ term. Every seat in the General Assembly will be on the ballot in November 2023.
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