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Virginia’s blue wave swept away two Republican incumbents — and came close to a third. John McGuire appeared to hold on in the 5th Congressional District, but Democrat Tom Perriello said the race was “too close to call” while provisional and remaining mail ballots were still being counted. The results unfolded amid a striking national night for Democrats: Texas voted blue in both the Senate and governor’s races, South Carolina elected a Democratic senator, and Kansas chose a Democratic senator for the first time in nearly a century. Georgia elected the nation’s first Black woman governor. The early numbers point to a difficult night for Republicans, with the article examining the political forces behind the results — including the midterm headwinds facing the party in power and voter unease about the economy. Voters in 14 Virginia localities approved an additional 1% sales tax dedicated to school construction and major repairs, while 29 rejected it. Results were still pending in five communities, including Franklin County, as of 11:15 p.m. Tuesday. The measures appeared on ballots in 47 localities this fall, including nine in Southwest and Southside Virginia. In Radford, the tax is expected to generate about $1.5 million a year. Superintendent Adam Joyce said the school division has $52 million in repairs to complete over the next decade, including roof work and accessibility upgrades. The vote was close in some places: Martinsville’s measure was projected to pass by five votes, while Mathews County’s was projected to fail by 30. Provisional and some mail-in ballots still had to be counted. Across Virginia, school construction funding was on the ballot — and voters’ answers varied sharply from one community to the next. 🚨BREAKING: Three Democrats won Lynchburg’s open at-large City Council seats, ending a 6-1 Republican majority. Christina Delzingaro, Dave Henderson and Nat Marshall each received more than 12,000 votes in unofficial results reported late Tuesday. More than 4,000 votes separated the third- and fourth-place finishers by midnight. The three seats had been held by Republicans Larry Taylor, Marty Misjuns and Stephanie Reed, all of whom ran for reelection. Nine candidates were on the ballot, including two rival groups seeking Republican votes after the party’s nomination process was nullified. The result ends a council majority often marked by GOP infighting. The Democratic slate campaigned on strong schools, affordable housing, economic development and good-paying jobs. Delzingaro said voters she met were looking for council members who “get along” and have a vision for a thriving city. The results are unofficial. Shakeva Frazier will become the first woman elected to Danville City Council since 2010 — and its first new council member since 2020. She received 6,485 votes, the second-highest total in the four-seat race, just behind Mayor Alonzo Jones, who won reelection with 6,546. Incumbents Bryant Hood and Gary Miller also won, while Vice Mayor James Buckner, who had served since 2014, was not reelected. Frazier will join the council when members are inaugurated in January. She is executive director of Third Chance Housing, a local nonprofit focused on homelessness prevention, housing affordability and economic resilience. In her second campaign for council, she said women — who make up 54% of Danville’s population — should be represented in decisions about the city. Frazier was runner-up in the 2024 race. The last woman on council was Ruby Archie, who served from 1994 until her death in 2010. Republicans Ben Cline and Morgan Griffith won reelection in Virginia’s 6th and 9th congressional districts, while the 5th District race remained too close to call Tuesday night. The Associated Press called Cline’s race at about 9:15 p.m.; with 21 of 23 localities reporting, the state elections website showed him with 54% of the vote to Beth Macy’s 44%. Griffith’s race against Joy Powers was called earlier, at about 8:30 p.m. The closest contest was between Republican Rep. John McGuire and former Democratic Congressman Tom Perriello, with no winner yet declared. Cline, of Botetourt County, was seeking a fifth term. Macy, a Roanoke-based former journalist and bestselling author, outraised him $2.9 million to $1.9 million as of Oct. 14, but faced a district Cline had won by 28 points in 2024.

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