Democrats retain House Districts 11 and 23 in Tuesday's special elections
Just hours before the Virginia General Assembly was set to convene, Democrats on Tuesday held onto two House of Delegates seats in special elections, extending a winning streak that has followed a wave of legislative departures to fill key roles in Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger’s incoming administration.
By 8 p.m., Democrat Gretchen Bulova defeated Republican Adam Wise in House District 11 by 69.7–29.8% out of 5,932 votes cast, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections. Bulova will succeed her husband, former Del. David Bulova, who retired his seat after being tapped last month as Virginia’s next secretary of natural and historic resources.
And in House District 23, Democrat Margaret Franklin defeated Republican Vern Robinson by 77.2–22.6% out of 6,428 votes cast, filling the seat vacated by Del. Candi Mundon King, D-Prince William, who is joining Spanberger’s cabinet as secretary of the commonwealth.
The two contests were the latest in a series of special elections triggered by lawmakers leaving the General Assembly to serve in Spanberger’s administration. Democrats have so far managed to defend each of the vacated seats, maintaining their majority in the House of Delegates and the state Senate as the new governor prepares to take office.
https://virginiamercury.com/2026/01/13/democrats-retain-house-districts-11-and-23-in-tuesdays-special-elections/