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Democrat wins Virginia state Senate special election

Today is the last day for residents in House Districts 11 and 23 to register to vote for the January 13, 2026 special elections triggered by Gov.-Elect Abigail Spanberger's cabinet appointments.
Several recent resignations created the vacancies that prompted the special ballots, including Ghazala Hashmi, Richmond-area senator and newly elected lieutenant governor, and several Democratic lawmakers accepting administration appointments.
Early voting runs through Saturday, Jan. 10, with Gretchen Bulova facing Adam Wise in House District 11 and Margaret Franklin against Verndell Robinson in House District 23.
The victors will be sworn in at the start of the 2026 General Assembly session and serve through Jan. 11, 2028, preserving party margins as lawmakers convene Tuesday.
In recent weeks, Democratic leaders say Virginia special elections have strained logistics but not changed policy, with three additional contests already on the calendar or expected soon.

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Democrats romp to victory in Virginia special elections

Tuesday night brought fresh evidence that a blue wave is building for the 2026 midterm elections, after Democrats won a pair of special elections for vacant state legislative seats in Virginia. In ...

2 days ago·United States

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The Center Square

Lean Right

Democrats win two Virginia special elections

(The Center Square) – Voters in parts of Richmond and Chesterfield County elected Democrats in two special elections Tuesday.

3 days ago·United States

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Newsweek

Center

Virginia Democrats overperform in double election victory

Democrats have retained two seats in Virginia's General Assembly after winning a pair of special elections on Tuesday night.

3 days ago·United States

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WRIC

Center

Mike Jones wins race to fill Hashmi’s seat in Virginia Senate

Voters in Richmond and Chesterfield County have chosen Del. Mike Jones (D-Richmond) to fill the Virginia Senate seat vacated by Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi, according to the Associated Press (AP).

3 days ago·Richmond, United States

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Virginia Mercury

Lean Left

Democrats retain two Richmond-area seats in back-to-back special elections • Virginia Mercury

Former Del. Mike Jones captures Senate District 17, while Charlie Schmidt wins Jones’ vacated House seat in District 77.

3 days ago

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InsideNoVA.com

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cbs19news.com

Center

Democrats retain two Richmond-area seats in back-to-back special elections

Former Richmond Del. Mike Jones is headed back to the General Assembly — this time as a state senator — after winning Tuesday’s special election in Virginia Senate District 15, a Democratic-leaning seat vacated late last year by Ghazala Hashmi.…

3 days ago

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