ELECTION RESULTS NOV. 8, 2011
VIRGINIA SENATE PROBABLY WILL BE TIED 20-20REPUBLICANS TO HAVE WORKING MAJORITY WITH LT. GOV. BILL BOLLING
The suspense will last a little longer.
As of early Wednesday morning, the 40-member Senate stood at 20 Democrats and 19 Republicans with one race probably headed for a recount. In the 17th district, incumbent Democrat Edd Houck trails his Republican opponent Bryce Reeves by just 86 votes out of nearly 45,000 cast. If Reeves hangs on to win, GOP Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling will have the deciding vote in a Senate evenly divided with 20 Republicans and 20 Democrats.
Entering Tuesday’s elections, Democrats held a narrow 22-18 margin in the Senate. They defended against strong Republican challengers in a dozen races Tuesday but at least one veteran Democrat lost in a squeaker. With all precincts reporting, Sen. Roscoe Reynolds of Henry County trailed Sen. Bill Stanley by 643 votes out of more than 50,000 cast. The two incumbents matched up due to the vagaries of redistricting.
Republicans gained ground in the House of Delegates, boosting their already substantial majority to 66 seats and defeating their number one target: House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong.Twenty-year veteran Democrat Bill Barlow also lost.
Among closely watched Senate races where Republicans prevailed:
• Republican Ralph Smith easily turned back a strong Independent challenge from former Republican Senator Brandon Bell with 57% of the vote
• Former Republican Delegate Dick Black handily captured a new open seat in Loudoun and Prince William counties with 57%
• Republican Tom Garrett defeated Bert Dodson with 58% in the new 22nd Senate district reaching from Lynchburg to Richmond’s western outskirts
Incumbent Democrats surviving strong Republican challenges:
• John Miller won with 51% over restaurateur and former Williamsburg city councilman Mickey Chohany
• Ralph Northam handily defeated Ben Loyola with 57% of the vote on Virginia’s eastern shore and parts of Norfolk
• Toddy Puller returns to the Senate with 55% of the vote over former Delegate Jeff Frederick
• Dave Marsden captured 54% of the vote against Jason Flanary in Northern Virginia
• Phil Puckett turned back a challenge from Adam Light in southwest Virginia with 53%
• George Barker defeated Miller Baker with 53% of the vote in what was expected to be an extremely close race
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE RESULTS from the Virginia State Board of Elections
For more coverage and analysis, go to:
The Washington Post
The Richmond Times-Dispatch
The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot
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