Virginia is for politics lovers. It has its state elections in odd years. The Governor, Lt. Governor, Attorney General, and the House of Delegates were elected in 2017. Democrats swept the state-wide offices. Democrats needed to flip seventeen of the 100 House of Delegates seats to gain control of that body. They flipped fifteen seats instead.
Virginia was on its way to turning blue.
Not so fast. Scandals have intervened.
The governor had included a picture in blackface on his page of his Medical School yearbook. He apologized. Then he denied it was him. Then he recalled a different instance in blackface.
The Lt. Governor was accused of sexual assault. By two women. Consensual sex, he said. One accusation was in Massachusetts and was within the statute of limitations. A criminal investigation may come of this.
The Attorney General felt compelled to admit to having been in blackface himself.
Virginia turned red with embarrassment. The Republican Senate Majority leader joined the club. He waa college yearbook editor with many students in blackface.
Virginia’s history is a presence. The 2019 elections are coming. Republicans are in charge of the House of Delegates 51-49. Republicans are in charge of the state Senate 21-19.
Can Democrats regain their momentum? The numbers below are prior to a final count of those filing to run for office, but are indicative.
Republicans are contesting three Democratic held Senate seats. Democrats are contesting fifteen Republican held seats.
Republicans are contesting twenty Democratic held seats in the House of Delegates. Democrats are contesting thirty-four Republican held seats.
Democrats could flip a net of two seats in each house.