Special elections to be held to replace two Virginia state Senators elected to Congress

The outcomes of the races will help determine the balance of power in Virginia’s narrowly divided state Senate.

There will be special elections soon to determine replacements for two Virginia state senators elected to Congress. 

The outcomes of the two special elections are important because they will help determine the balance of power in Virginia’s narrowly divided state Senate. The chamber is currently controlled by Democrats who have a slight advantage of 21-19 over Republicans. 

The special election to replace Democrat Suhas Subramanyam to represent Virginia Senate District 32 will take place Jan. 7, 2025. The senate district is a Democratic stronghold based in Loudoun County in Northern Virginia. Subramanyam was elected to represent Virginia’s 10th Congressional District last week. 

A special election to replace Republican John McGuire’s state senate district in central Virginia has yet to be called. McGuire will vacate his seat representing Virginia’s Senate District 10 to serve in Congress representing Virginia’s 5th Congressional District.

Candidates have already begun campaigning for the state senate seats. 

The Loudoun County Democratic Committee is holding a primary this Saturday, Nov. 16, to nominate a candidate to replace Subramanyam. Voting will take place at five locations across Senate District 32. The list of locations can be found here.

The six Democratic candidates in the Senate District 32 primary are: Hurunnessa Fariad, the Director of Outreach at the Multi-Faith Neighbors Network; Ibraheem Samirah, a former Virginia state delegate; Puja Khanna, a former candidate for a Loudoun County supervisor seat; Buta Biberaj, a former Loudon Commonwealth’s Attorney; state Del. Kannan Srinivasan; and Sree NagiReddi, a former candidate for a Loudoun County supervisor seat. 

Among the crowded field, Del. Srinivasan has garnered some notable endorsements, including from Virginia’s two US Senators – Tim Kaine and Mark Warner – and Subramanyam. 

“In the legislature, he worked to protect reproductive rights, advance gun safety, create jobs, and defend our democracy,” Subramanyam said of Srinivasan. 

The Republican primary for Senate District 32 will also be this weekend and has drawn four candidates, according to ABC 7(WJLA-TV). The candidates are Ommair Butt, an outspoken opponent of letting trans kids use the bathrooms that match their genders; Tumay Harding, a former Loudoun County supervisor candidate; Tushar Dode, an entrepreneur; and Rafi Khaja, a former state delegate candidate. 

While the date for the special election to replace McGuire in Senate District 10 has yet to be set, four Republicans have announced they are running. Senate District 10 is a deep red district based in central Virginia that includes part of Hanover County, Powhatan County, and part of Louisa County. 

The Republicans running to replace McGuire are: Amanda Chase, a former state senator known for stirring controversy; Jean Gannon, a Republican activist; and Shayne Snavely, a businessman. Duane Adams, chairman of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors, is also running, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch. 

No Democrats have announced plans to run for McGuire’s state Senate seat.