What Happened in Virginia

What Happened in Virginia by Gabriella Hoffman

Like many Republican voters in Virginia, I was very disappointed to see our General Assembly flip to Democrat control last night.

Yet, it didn’t surprise me. It was to be expected.

Despite gifts in the forms of scandals that should have implicated our Governor, LG, and AG—blackface/infanticide, sexual assault, and blackface, respectively—the Republicans didn’t seize on them.

Some are talking secession, some are plotting their escape for redder pastures. While I’ve toyed with the idea of escaping to Florida, I’ve set my roots here, my family is here, my business is here, my friends are here, and I’m aware Democrats are keen on flipping more red state legislatures. If they succeed, there will be no place to escape to. So I will continue to stay here and fight. I hope you will join me in doing so, too.

If I survived California’s swing from red to deep blue, I can survive in Virginia. And the Commonwealth isn’t quite like California…yet.

The House of Delegates is controlled by Democrats by a 55-45 vote (+6 gain), while the State Senate will be Democrat-controlled by a 21-19 vote (+2 gain).

I was expecting worse results. And if last night didn’t serve as a wake-up call for non-Democrat voters, the legislative session come January certainly will.

Stay vigilant, get involved, and don’t become complacent.