On Nov. 4, 2025, Virginia voters elected a new governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and members to all 100 seats in the House of Delegates. The Virginia Senate is not up for election until 2027.
Virginia elected Abigail Spanberger for governor, Ghazala Hashmi for lieutenant governor, Jay Jones for attorney general, and a 64-36 Democratic majority in the House of Delegates.
Polling showed concern over the economy and hostility/violence as a political tool were top issues for voters. Other key issues were voters’ views of the new Administration in Washington, whether candidates would support or oppose actions being taken at the federal level and the prolonged shutdown of most federal agencies.
STATEWIDE RACES
GOVERNOR RESULT
SPANBERGER (D) – 57%
EARLE-SEARS (R) – 42%
Gov. Glenn Youngkin was ineligible to seek a second consecutive term under Virginia’s Constitution. The race for governor between former congresswoman, Democrat Abigail Spanberger, and sitting lieutenant governor, Republican Winsome Earle-Sears, was history making as either candidate would become Virginia’s first female governor.
After securing 57% of the vote as of Nov. 5, Abigail Spanberger was declared the winner and will serve as the 75th Governor of Virginia.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR RESULT
HASHMI (D) – 55%
REID (R) – 44%
For lieutenant governor, Republican John Reid, a conservative radio host and the first openly gay man to be a major party nominee on a statewide ticket in Virginia, faced South Asian American Democratic state senator, Ghazala Hashmi, with Ghazala Hashmi prevailing with 55% of the vote.
This win leaves her Senate seat, SD15, vacant. SD15 is a strong Democratic seat encompassing parts of Chesterfield County and the city of Richmond. Hashmi currently chairs the Senate Education and Health Committee and is a member of the Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources, Finance and Appropriations, Transportation, and Rules committees. A special election to fill her seat will be called by the Senate President Pro Tempore since the General Assembly is in a special session. The special election must occur on a Tuesday and must not be within 55 days of the Nov. 4 general election.
ATTORNEY GENERAL RESULT
JONES (D) – 52%
MIYARES (R) – 46%
Republican incumbent Jason Miyares, Virginia’s first Hispanic American attorney general, faced a challenge from former Democratic Del. Jay Jones in a closely watched race. Jones, who continuously led in multiple polls throughout the year, encountered national scrutiny in the weeks before the election when text messages advocating violence that he sent in 2022 resurfaced. This issue dominated headlines and increased support for Miyares in the polls leading to Election Day.
Despite the controversy, Jones was still able to claim victory, winning 52% of the vote. This could likely be attributed to high Democratic voter turnout in early voting and limited split ticket voting. Jones will serve as the commonwealth’s first African American attorney general.
VIRGINIA HOUSE OF DELEGATES
The Virginia House of Delegates elections coincided with the statewide races and proved to be just as vital. Currently, the Democrats hold a slim majority of 51-49. A shift in even a few seats changes legislative party control and influences legislative outcomes. Democrats retaining their majority and Spanberger capturing the governorship, gives the party a trifecta – control of the governor’s office, Senate and House of Delegates for the first time since 2021.
Control of the House carries major procedural implications. Committee membership is allocated proportionally, with each party’s representation determined by its share of seats in the chamber. As a result, even a few Democratic gains could lead to additional committee seats for the majority.
Under the leadership of Speaker Don Scott, Democrats led an aggressive effort to secure as many seats as possible, outraising Republicans by nearly 3-1 in competitive races and running candidates in every district across the commonwealth.
Ultimately, Democrats were able to pick up 13 seats, bringing their majority to 64D-36R.
Overview of Competitive District Outcomes
Of the 100 seats that were on the ballot, only a handful were initially considered true toss-ups, based upon the Virginia Public Access Project’s (VPAP) Index.
Democrats won all ten (10) of these competitive districts.
Below outlines the competitive district outcomes as identified by the VPAP Index.
House District 21 (HD21)
Democratic incumbent Josh Thomas won Virginia’s competitive House District 21, encompassing part of Prince William County. Thomas received 58.18% of the vote against Republican challenger Gregory Lee Gorham. The latest reporting period ending Oct. 23, 2025, shows incumbent Thomas raising $1,158,942 compared to Gorham’s $21,570. In the 2023 House of Delegates election, Thomas outspent his Republican opponent $3,426,973 to $2,407,015 and took 51.72% of the vote.
House District 22 (HD22)
Democratic challenger Elizabeth Guzman won Virginia’s competitive House District 22, encompassing part of Prince William County. Guzman, a former member of the House received 54.55% of the vote against Republican incumbent Ian Lovejoy, who has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2024. The latest reporting period ending Oct. 23, 2025, shows challenger Guzman raising $3,398,813 compared to Lovejoy’s $1,403,509 In the 2023 House of Delegates election, Lovejoy’s Democratic opponent outspent him $2,394,579 to $1,825,652, but Lovejoy took 52.19% of the vote.
Lovejoy served on the following committees: Counties, Cities and Towns, Communications, Technology and Innovation.
House District 57 (HD57)
Democratic challenger May Nivar won Virginia’s competitive House District 57, encompassing parts of western Henrico County and eastern Goochland County. Nivar received 55.26% of the vote against Republican incumbent David Owen, who has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2024. The latest reporting period ending Oct. 23, 2025, shows challenger Nivar raising $2,485,847 compared to Owen’s $1,242,404In the 2023 House of Delegates election, Owen’s Democratic opponent outspent him $1,859,559 to $1,324,905, but Owen took 50.77% of the vote.
Owen served on the following committees: Public Safety, Health and Human Services.
House District 65 (HD65)
Democratic incumbent Joshua Cole won Virginia’s competitive House District 65, encompassing parts of Stafford County and Spotsylvania County and the city of Fredericksburg. Cole received 58.42% of the vote against Republican challenger Sean Steinway. The latest reporting period ending Oct. 23, 2025, shows incumbent Cole raising $1,266,284 compared to Steinway’s $576,082. In the 2023 House of Delegates elections, Cole outspent his Republican opponent $4,194,270 to $2,507,775 and took 52.84% of the vote.
House District 71 (HD71)
Democratic challenger Jessica Anderson won Virginia’s competitive House District 71, encompassing parts of James City County and New Kent County and the city of Williamsburg. Anderson received 52.68% of the vote against Republican incumbent Amanda Batten, who has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2020. The latest reporting period ending Oct. 23, 2025, shows challenger Anderson raising $2,944,997 compared to Batten’s $1,226,535. In the 2023 House of Delegates election, Batten outspent her Democratic opponent $624,752 to $332,357 and took 50.90% of the vote.
Batten served as the caucus chair of the Virginia House Republicans. Additionally, she served on the following committees: Education, Public Safety, Courts of Justice.
House District 75 (HD75)
Democratic challenger Lindsey Dougherty won Virginia’s competitive House District 75, encompassing parts of Chesterfield County and Prince George County and the city of Hopewell. Dougherty received 52.70% of the vote against Republican incumbent Carrie Coyner, who has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2020. The latest reporting period ending Oct. 23, 2025, shows challenger Dougherty raising $3,314,064 compared to Coyner’s $2,076,121. In the 2023 House of Delegates election, Coyner’s Democratic opponent outspent her $957,630 to $715,324, but Coyner took 52.76% of the vote.
Coyner served on the following committees: Education, General Laws, Appropriations, Rules.
House District 82 (HD82)
Democratic challenger Kimberly Pope Adams won Virginia’s competitive House District 82, encompassing parts of Dinwiddie County, Prince George County, Surry County and the city of Petersburg. Adams received 53.64% of the vote against Republican incumbent Kim Taylor, who has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2022. The latest reporting period ending Oct. 23, 2025, shows second-time challenger Adams raising $3,782,596 compared to Taylor’s $1,676,240 Kim Taylor and Kimberly Pope Adams ran against each other in the 2023 House of Delegates election, with Adams outspending Taylor $3,037,486 to $2,798,674. Taylor took 50.05% of the vote, winning by 78 votes after a recount.
Taylor served on the following committees: Communications, Technology and Innovation, Public Safety, Health and Human Services.
House District 86 (HD86)
Democratic challenger Virgil Gene Thornton Sr. won Virginia’s competitive House District 86, encompassing parts of the city of Hampton and York County and the city of Poquoson. Thornton received 53.39% of the vote against Republican incumbent A.C. Cordoza, who has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2022. The latest reporting period ending Oct. 23, 2025, shows challenger Thornton raising $2,466,515 compared to Cordoza’s $634,543. In the 2023 House of Delegates election, Cordoza outspent his Democratic opponent $474,743 to $61,294 and took 56.35% of the vote.
Cordoza served on the following committees: Public Safety, Communications, Technology and Innovation, Courts of Justice.
House District 89 (HD89)
Democratic challenger Karen Robins Carnegie won Virginia’s competitive House District 89, encompassing parts of the cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk. Carnegie received 54.23% of the vote against Republican Mike Lamonea. The latest reporting period ending Oct. 23, 2025, shows Democratic Carnegie raising $2,749,715 compared to Republican Lamonea’s $1,021,602. In the 2023 House of Delegates election, Ennis’ Democratic opponent outspent him $1,544,342 to $1,174,666, but Ennis took 50.76% of the vote.
Ennis’ seat on the following committees will be filled: Public Safety, Education, Health and Human Services.
House District 97 (HD97)
Democratic incumbent Michael Feggans won Virginia’s competitive House District 97, encompassing part of the city of Virginia Beach. Feggans received 57.02% of the vote against Republican challenger Tim Anderson. The latest reporting period ending Oct. 23, 2025, shows incumbent Feggans raising $2,303,862 compared to Anderson’s $884,190. In the 2023 House of Delegates election, Feggans ousted Republican incumbent Karen Greenhalgh, outspending her $3,553,356 to $2,903,917 and taking 52.37% of the vote.
In addition to these competitive races, Democrats were able to pick up seats in other districts. Notably, Republican Delegate Bobby Orrock, the longest serving House member, was defeated by Democrat Stacey Caroll. With the exception of Orrock, each of these unseated republican incumbents had only served a single term in the House of Delegates.
There were three non-competitive seats that remained republican but will have a new member: Madison Whittle in HD49, Mitchell Cornett in HD46, and Karen Hamilton in HD62.
The 2025 elections have ushered in a meaningful change in power that will reshape the policy landscape and the pace of decision making. As the 2026 legislative session approaches, a new administration and committee dynamics will drive a fresh set of priorities, creating both risks to legacy positions and timely opportunities for proactive engagement.
