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Republican incumbents in last week’s elections claimed the three reconfigured districts in the General Assembly that encompass all or parts of the Rockbridge area. Republicans were also victorious in all state Senate races for districts west of the Blue Ridge.
Democrats, on the other hand, did well state-wide, retaining majority status in the Senate while reclaiming control of the House of Delegates. Their margins of victory in both chambers, however, were very narrow, so the results from last week’s elections were far from being a mandate for significant change.
Rather, Democrats’ slim majorities in both chambers would indicate voters prefer state governance be from the center. Democratic control of the state legislature will keep Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin from veering too far from a moderate course of leadership.
To what degree abortion played a role in the Democrats’ narrow victory is debatable. What is clear is that the governor’s proposal to ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy will not become law, at least not in the remaining two years of Youngkin’s administration. In order to be enacted, any remnants of the governor’s agenda will need to garner the support of some Democrats.
We congratulate our local winners in the legislative races – Del. Ellen Campbell in House of Delegates District 36, Del. Terry Austin in House of Delegates District 37 and Del. Christopher Head in state Senate District 3. The three winning candidates and their challengers all ran good campaigns.
In particular, we were impressed with the candidacy of Jade Harris, former Glasgow vice mayor who has mounted two unsuccessful campaigns for the General Assembly this past year. Harris has shown herself to be a knowledgeable and articulate young person and we encourage her to stay involved in the public affairs of our community.
Judging from what we’ve heard voters say and the candidates’ comments at the recent forums sponsored by the local chamber of commerce, we see a number of issues that should have bipartisan support in the upcoming session of the General Assembly that begins in January. More funding for schools, improvements for Interstate 81, completion of the last miles for broadband and state assistance for local economic development projects are among the initiatives that appear to have widespread support.
An issue of disagreement that emerged at one of the candidates’ forum is whether to proceed with establishing regulations for retail sales of cannabis products. Having legalized possession of small amounts of marijuana while leaving in place laws prohibiting sales of the same, the legal status of cannabis is indeed murky. This is an issue that is going to have to eventually be confronted and cleared up.
Because of redistricting and the retirement of many senior legislators, quite a few new lawmakers will be heading to Richmond in January. So too will there be a changing of the guard in some local elective offices. Buena Vista will have a new mayor, Tyson Cooper; two new members of City Council, Ronald Cash and Michelle Poluikis; and one new School Board member, Paula Charlton. Rockbridge County will have a new commissioner of revenue, Brooke Tomlin; a new treasurer, Missy Whitesell; and a new Buffalo District member of the School Board, Lenna Ojure.
We wish all of these victorious candidates well and encourage a spirit of bipartisan cooperation when everyone takes office in the new year.
