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Former Congressman Tom Perriello conceded Virginia’s 5th District race Thursday, congratulating Republican Rep. John McGuire on his reelection. The Associated Press called the race for McGuire at 11:59 a.m. Thursday, with 98% of votes counted. More than 7,000 provisional and absentee ballots remained outstanding, and Perriello’s campaign said McGuire’s current 2.2-point lead could narrow — but it no longer saw a path to changing the result. Perriello thanked voters and more than 1,000 volunteers, saying their grassroots effort moved all 24 counties in the district in his direction, helped flip Lynchburg City Council and nearly overcame a district that had gone Republican by 15 points in 2024. The narrow finish marks a substantial shift from McGuire’s first congressional win. Perriello’s campaign called the result a “near-upset” and a sign of a changing political landscape in the district. McGuire’s campaign declined to comment on the concession. 🏈 One week of Virginia high school football remains, and the VHSL playoff picture is still unsettled. In Region 4D, Jefferson Forest, Sherando and George Washington are all 9-0, but James Wood (8-1) currently sits ahead of George Washington in third. A win over unbeaten Magna Vista could give the Eagles a significant points boost; the likely order with a GW victory would be Jefferson Forest, GW, Sherando and James Wood. In Region 5C, William Fleming is ninth and needs both a win over Franklin County and help from a Meadowbrook or James River-Midlothian loss to reach the field. Patrick Henry-Roanoke is close to securing third if it beats Blacksburg. Elsewhere, the final weekend could settle a three-team logjam in Region 3D, the top four in Region 2C, and whether Craig County or Grayson County finishes first in Region 1C. Plenty can still shift before the postseason pairings are set. Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones is urging the Court of Appeals to dismiss Jens Soering’s petition claiming he is innocent of the 1985 murders of Derek and Nancy Haysom. In a filing Wednesday, prosecutors argue that Soering has not shown his evidence meets the legal standard for a writ of absolute innocence. His petition relies mainly on DNA tests of blood samples from the crime scene, which he says show no link to him and indicate the presence of two other men. The commonwealth calls those results inconclusive, citing questions about the chain of evidence and the possibility that some profiles came from Derek or Nancy Haysom. It also argues that excluding Soering from tested blood does not prove he was absent from the scene. The appeals court could dismiss the petition, grant it or schedule a hearing on the competing arguments. Soering has spent nearly four decades trying to overturn his conviction in a case that drew international attention. Before he could walk or talk, Colby was already a regular at the Hot Dog Stand. 🌭🎶 Lynchburg’s City Council flipped from a 6-1 Republican majority to a Democratic majority Tuesday, as Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson and Nat Marshall won the three at-large seats. Each received more than 12,000 votes, according to unofficial results, with a gap of more than 4,000 votes between the third- and fourth-place finishers. Provisional ballots had not been counted as of Wednesday afternoon. The seats were previously held by Mayor Larry Taylor, Marty Misjuns and Stephanie Reed, all of whom sought reelection. The newly elected members said their campaign was about more than party affiliation: they pointed to a different vision for the city, centered on civility, collaboration and inclusion. Their priorities include schools, affordable housing, public transportation, and improving city employee morale and retention. They will join the council in January and say they plan to get up to speed on city plans and policies, build relationships with local leaders and develop their vision for Lynchburg.

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