The big story will be what happens in some of the Northern Virginia races, but at least locally, there have been two upsets in favor of the Democrats. First, it appears that Democrat Joe Bouchard defeated Republican Chris Stolle in the 83rd House District race (my parents' former District). Here are some clips from the Virginian Pilot coverage:
Bouchard will succeed Del. Leo Wardup, R-Virginia Beach, who did not seek another term. Stolle is the younger brother of state Sen. Ken Stolle of Virginia Beach. He defeated Carolyn Weems, a member of the Virginia Beach School Board, in the Republican primary in June. The campaign quickly became nasty. Bouchard and Stolle wound up spending more than $1 million total, mostly on mailers and TV ads attacking each other.
Yep, $1 million on a House of Delegate seat - previously unheard of and a sign of how hared the GOP is trying to not lose control of the legislature.
Next, in other VERY good news, it appears that GOP Christianist nut-job Nick Rerras is going down to defeat. Rerras was the only legislator who voted in the past NOT to require clergy to report suspected cases of sexual abuse of children. (Needless to say, he was also no friend of LGBT rights)Here are some highlights:
Democratic challenger Ralph Northam defeated Republican incumbent Nick Rerras on Tuesday in the state Senate 6th District race. Rerras, 50, has been in the Senate since 1999. Norfolk native, he is an independent business development consultant who has a bachelor's degree from Philadelphia Biblical University. Northam, 48, is a neurologist at the Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, and an assistant professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He is a native of Nassawadox. He has a bachelor's degree from Virginia Military Institute and a medical degree from Eastern Virginia Medical School.
Third, Democratic challenger Bobby Mathieson defeated Republican incumbent John Welch on Tuesday in the 21st House District race. Welch conceded to Mathieson shortly before 8:30 p.m. Welch, 46, a chiropractor, has been a member of the House of Delegates since 2001. For years, Virginia Beach has been 100% GOP represented in the General Assembly. These Democrat victories say alot about the changing fortunes of the GOP.
Hopefully, Northern Virginia will deliver other needed Democrat victories.
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