Virginia Democrats hope they can flip three congressional districts their way as the fate of which party controls Congress hangs in the balance.
Virginia voters today voted today on their representatives in the US House of Representatives and one of their US senators.
They also decided on three state constitutional amendments related to reproductive rights, gay marriage, and voting rights.
US Senate race
Democrat Mark Warner has defeated Republican Bert Mizusawa in the race for Virginia’s US Senate seat, according to the Associated Press, which called the race for Warner at 7 p.m. Warner, who’s held the seat since 2009, enjoys broad popularity in Virginia and substantially outraised Mizusawa.
The 71-year-old has said this will be his final term in office.
Warner focused his campaign on expanding the housing supply to address the housing crisis, supporting universal healthcare, and responding to the rise of artificial intelligence.
1st District Race
Democrat Shannon Taylor is looking to unseat longtime Republican incumbent Rep. Rob Wittman to represent Virginia’s 1st Congressional District, which includes parts of the Richmond suburbs and James City County.
Wittman has held the seat since 2007, but Taylor, Henrico County’s commonwealth’s attorney, has mounted a serious challenge, focusing her campaign on the growth of Wittman’s wealth while in office and his support for President Donald Trump.
The Cook Political Report rated this race a “toss up” heading into Election Day.
2nd District race
Democrat Elaine Luria is looking to win back the seat representing Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in Hampton Roads that she lost in 2022 to its current representative, Republican Jen Kiggans.
The two Navy veterans are in a competitive rematch to represent a swing district with a high number of military service members and veterans. Luria held the seat from 2019 to 2023.
The election has focused on the impacts of the Iran war, the high cost of living, and cuts to federal healthcare programs.
The Cook Political Report rated the 2nd District race as “lean Democratic” heading into Election Day.
5th District race
Democrat Tom Perriello is looking to unseat Republican Rep. John McGuire to represent Virginia’s 5th Congressional District that spans Charlottesville to the north and Danville to the south.
Perriello represented the Republican-leaning district from 2009 to 2011 and is hoping an environment more favorable to Democrats will help him defeat McGuire.
McGuire is a Trump loyalist who’s held the seat since 2025 after ousting Republican Bob Good, who’d fallen out of favor with the MAGA movement.
The Cook Political Report rated this race as “likely Republican” heading into Election Day. And Sabato’s Crystal Ball rated the district as “leans Democratic.”
Constitutional amendments
Virginia voters decided on three constitutional amendments when they cast their ballots today.
Voters across the state voted “yes” or “no” on three questions that have to do with changing the state constitution’s language on reproductive rights, marriage equality, and voting rights restoration.
The amendment related to reproductive freedom would enshrine the right to an abortion, birth control, miscarriage management, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the state constitution.
The marriage equality amendment would remove language from the state constitution that bans same-sex marriage. That language is overridden by federal law, which protects same-sex marriages, but advocates worry about losing that protection if federal law changes.
The voting rights restoration amendment would allow for the automatic restoration of voting rights for people who have served prison time for a felony conviction. Currently, people who serve time for felony convictions lose their right to vote in Virginia and have to petition the governor to get it back.
Voting on these constitutional amendments is the last step in the multiyear process required to amend the state constitution.
