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RICHMOND — There are those who question the wisdom of Virginia Democrats, who on Monday vowed to sue Republicans for the right to share control of the state Senate. Howard is the University of Virginia law professor who in 1996 wrote a legal opinion saying the lieutenant governor has the power to cast a tie-breaking vote on anything before the Senate. Because this month’s elections left the Senate evenly split between Democrats and Republicans, the GOP has relied on Howard’s analysis to assert that Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R) will be able to vote on organizational matters — giving the...

Virginia's criminal background check system for firearm purchases, the first of its kind in the nation, is being targeted for elimination. Gun-rights advocates have lobbied Gov. Bob McDonnell to scrap the program, arguing that it is redundant because a federal background check system can replace it. Gun-control groups say doing so would take a valuable law enforcement tool away from Virginia State Police and undermine state gun laws. Efforts to cancel the state's 22-year-old background check system, known as the Virginia Firearms Transaction Program, could be debated in the upcoming General Assembly session. Republicans will control state government for the...

Democratic Sen. Edd Houck announced Thursday he will not request a recount and conceded his race to Republican challenger Bryce Reeves, giving the GOP complete control of government in Richmond. Houck, a seven-term incumbent from Spotsylvania, was 86 votes behind Reeves on election night Tuesday, but the gap grew to 222 after localities tallied provisional ballots. The 0.5 percent difference in 45,077 votes was still close enough for Houck to ask for a recount, but he said he would decline that opportunity during a press conference Thursday. Reeves' victory gives the GOP a two-seat gain in the Senate and forces...

For Immediate Release Contact: Garren Shipley (540) 686-1138 Election 2011: What it Means -- GOP Supermajority in House, Majority in Senate, Solid Start for 2012 -- The votes are counted. The canvass is done, and the dust has settled. What does it all mean? First, let's look at the lay of the land. House of Delegates * Republicans picked up 7 seats in the House of Delegates. * Republicans now have a 68 seat caucus in the House, the most in history. * Republicans won 13 of 14 open seats in the House. * Republicans defeated 2 Democrat incumbents in...

Democrats still held out hope that Sen. R. Edward Houck (D-Spotsylvania) could win his race against Republican Bryce Reeves, as local elections officials met Wednesday to count provisional ballots and review calculations and tapes from voting machines and other records for errors. But after such an initial canvas, Reeves’s lead actually grew — from an 86-vote margin to 224 votes. “The race for this seat remains too close to call,” said Craig Bieber, Houck’s campaign manager. “There were several significant discrepancies during Tuesday night’s tabulation that deserve further attention during the canvassing and certification process.” At one point, the state...

Link has list of 10 Seats that are contested. Ohio has Issue 2 & 3 on the ballot which the left wingers have been lying about other positions.

Tuesday’s legislative elections in Virginia appeared likely to add more evidence — as if national Democrats needed it — that the terrain of the political map will be significantly more rugged for President Obama next year. It is difficult to draw a bright trend line from an election in which fewer than one-third of those registered voted. When turnout is as light as it was on Tuesday, those who do show up tend to be the most dogged partisans. But analysts and political strategists of both parties said the expected Republican gains — even if less than was expected —...

Gov. Bob McDonnell this morning cast Republican gains in the House of Delegates and Virginia Senate as partly a repudiation of President Barack Obama’s policies and said the pick-ups will give the GOP momentum going into 2012. Appearing on Morning Joe on MSNBC, McDonnell said Republicans picked up at least six seats in the House of Delegates — “the highest number total of Republican seats in the Virginia House that we’ve ever had.” He also claimed a two-seat pick up in the Senate for a 20-20 split, with Republican Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling as the tie breaker, “giving Republicans effective...

<p>House Democratic Minority Leader Ward Armstrong has lost the seat he's held for nearly 20 years.</p> <p>In a race symbolically important to the Republicans, Del. Charles Poindexter won 53 percent of the vote over Armstrong, whom the GOP targeted both in redistricting and in heavy financial support for Poindexter.</p>

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Virginia's state Senate elections next week are shaping up as an early signal for President Barack Obama ahead of national elections next year. Republicans have a strong shot at taking control of the state Senate from Democrats on Tuesday, political analysts said. A win would put state government solidly in Republican hands in an important swing state, and mark a sharp turnaround from 2008, when Obama became the first Democrat to win Virginia since 1964. Political analysts said loss of the 40-seat state Senate to Republicans would be a bad sign for Obama as he seeks to...

VEA Recommends Candidates for Election The VEA Fund for Children and Public Education is recommending a raft of pro-public education candidates for election. (Read more about the process below.) As of October 14, these Senate and House of Delegates candidates had earned recommendations. Recommended Candidates for Senate (Senate District) John Miller (1) Mamie Locke (2) Ralph Northam (6) Donald McEachin (9) David Bernard (10) Shawn Mitchell (13) Henry Marsh (16) Edd Houck (17) Louise Lucas (18) Brandon Bell (19) Roscoe Reynolds (20) John Edwards (21) Bert Dodson (22) Creigh Deeds (25) Charles Colgan (29) Adam Ebbin (30) Barbara Favola (31)...

First and foremost, you can plan now to vote on November 8th or take appropriate steps to submit an absentee ballot if you aren’t going to be in your election precinct on Election Day. Turnout is expected to be low, so every vote is even more important this election year. You can find out about absentee voting and the location of your precinct on the State Board of Election’s website. Second, you can make a contribution to EVPAC today to help us support and fund get out the vote activities for EVPAC supported equality minded candidates. We need your help...

Hi xxxxx, Last week the Virginia Board of Health approved the most restrictive regulations on abortion providers in the nation. They wouldn't have had the ability to do so if we had a pro-choice majority in our legislature. We MUST Save the Senate this election. That's the only way we can ensure that women will have continued access to comprehensive reproductive health care. HOW CAN YOU HELP? We're talking to voters and spreading the word to re-elect state Senator Edd Houck. Senator Houck has a 28-year voting record that demonstrates his commitment to reproductive health care. He can help ensure...

A Republican underdog snapped hard at a Democratic incumbent’s heels at the opening debate of the Arlington campaign season Tuesday night. The debate kicked off the battle for Northern Virginia’s Senate seats in a year Republicans are hoping to snatch control of the state Senate, putting both houses of the General Assembly and the governor's office in Republican hands. Patrick Forrest accused Virginia state Sen. Janet Howell of using her 19 years in the Senate’s 32nd district seat to increase spending and hand out favors to lobbyists while remaining silent on the issue of funding for the Dulles Metro rail...

Politicos and pundits are waiting with baited breath on Virginia Attorney General Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II’s next move. Re-election? Senate? Governor? He has said his current plans are to run for re-election but has not ruled out a bid for governor in 2013. If a poll released Tuesday by the Democratic-leaning firm Public Policy Polling is any indication, he’d have more than a fair shot at the GOP nomination. Among Republican primary voters, Mr. Cuccinelli, who has made a name for himself filing high-profile lawsuits against the federal government over health care and carbon emissions, leads Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling...

Current 19th District State Senator Bill Stanley (R-Franklin Co.) announced Thursday afternoon that he will challenge incumbent State Senator Roscoe Reynolds (D-Henry Co.) for the redrawn 20th District State Senate seat. The redistricting process dramatically altered Sen. Stanley's current district, moving much of the 19th District west of where it currently lies. The plan splits: Franklin Co. between the 19th and 20th Districts Danville and Pittsylvania Co.between the 15th and 20th Districts Current 19th District portion of Campbell Co. into the 15th and 23rd Districts

Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia - THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! Thank you! Thank you so much. Everybody have a seat, have a seat. It’s good to be back. Good to be back in Annandale. Good to be back at NOVA. How is everybody doing? (Applause.) I want to make a couple of acknowledgments. First of all, Congressman Gerry Connolly is here. (Applause.) Dr. George Gabriel, the provost of Northern Virginia Community College, is here. (Applause.) And the president, Bob Templin, is here. (Applause.) It is great to be back. I keep on coming back because Jill Biden tells me...

Blacksburg, VA, April 11 – Long time New River Valley native Joseph Yost announces his candidacy for the Republican nomination to Virginia‟s 12th District House of Delegates seat. Yost is a dedicated Republican and has been an active member of the Montgomery County Republican Party since 2009. During that time, he has served in various leadership positions including secretary of the Party, precinct captain during the last two election cycles, and Parliamentarian. He also serves as Chair of the Roanoke/New River Valley Young Republicans. When asked what issues he sees as the forefront of his campaign, Yost said, “the needs...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 9, 2011 CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Darin Miller, (866) FRC-NEWS FRC Action PAC Endorses Bryce Reeves for State Senate March 09, 2011 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today FRC Action PAC, the political action committee connected to Family Research Council Action, the legislative advocacy arm of the Family Research Council, endorses Bryce Reeves for Virginia State Senate District 17. Bryce Reeves is taking on Sen. Edward Houck, a 26-year incumbent who is out of touch with the values of Virginia State Senate District 17. Last year Senator Houck voted against a measure that prevented taxpayer funds from being...

Hello All, I just wanted to drop you all a note to let you know that we will be having our official announcement entering the race for the 38th District State Senate seat at 10:30am on 7 Feb 11 at SVCC. Congressman Griffith will be there for the announcement, and it would mean a lot to me if all you could be there as well. Please be discrete with this info, since we want plenty of media coverage. Please take note of this new email address, and feel free to contact me on it with regard to political matters. Of...