Virginia Republicans claim victory in state Senate

RICHMOND

Virginia Republicans early today claimed victory in their quest to take the state Senate -- if not with an outright majority, with a 20-20 split that gives the Republican lieutenant governor, Bill Bolling, the tie-breaking vote.

"Tonight, Virginia voters have made history," Gov. Bob McDonnell said in a statement. "Over the course of this campaign, Republican candidates have focused on providing common sense solutions to the challenges facing our citizens. And that is how we will govern in the majority. We will continue to put forward common sense policies that will help the private sector create jobs and reform our government to make it more efficient and effective."

Republican control could give McDonnell freer rein in the second half of his term and could also signal a more conservative turn on issues such as abortion, gun rights and illegal immigration.

The Senate battle came down to two races with razor-thin margins.

One of the critical contests was between veteran Democratic Sen. Edward Houck and Republican challenger Bryce Reeves in a Fredericksburg area district. Unofficial State Board of Elections tallies showed Reeves with an 86-vote lead over Houck out of nearly 45,000 ballots casts, a margin statistically slim enough to allow for a recount under state law.

Another close race is a matchup of two sitting senators – Democrat Roscoe Reynolds and Republican Bill Stanley – in Southside Virginia that ranks as one of the most expensive races this cycle. Unofficial results with all precincts counted showed Stanley the victor by 643 votes out of more than 47,000 cast.

That left Reynolds just over the 1 percent or less total vote variance needed to permit a recount in Virginia. Stanley declared victory, but Reynolds told The Roanoke Times late Tuesday that he wanted to wait for a vote canvass before deciding his next move.

The uncertainty also prompted Gov. McDonnell to postpone until today an election-night news conference discussing the results.

By the Virginia Public Access Project’s count, $31.7 million was spent on the 2011 Senate contests.

In the Hampton Roads Senate races, all three Democratic incumbents facing Republican challengers emerged victorious.

Hampton Sen. Mamie Locke and Norfolk Sen. Ralph Northam comfortably bested their rivals, while Newport News Sen. John Miller survived a strong push from Republican Mickey Chohany, a Williamsburg restaurateur who received financial backing from the GOP.

Republicans were more certain of their gains in the House of Delegates, especially one that came at the expense of House Minority Leader Ward Armstrong, an outspoken Henry County Democrat with designs on a future run for statewide office.

Armstrong moved to seek re-election after Republicans displaced him during redistricting, but he couldn’t knock off Del. Charles Poindexter, a two-term incumbent bankrolled by party interests, in a district that votes Republican.

Julian Walker, (804) 697-1564, julian.walker@pilotonline.com