Updated with a statement from Madison Whittle.
The table is set for November in Southwest and Southside Virginia after Tuesday’s primary elections determined the ballot for the general election in five House of Delegates races.
Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt County, beat his primary challenger. In the Roanoke Valley, Democrat Donna Littlepage will go on to face Republican Del. Joe McNamara. In a district that spans Grayson, Pulaski, Smyth and Wythe counties, Mitchell Cornett outpaced Adam Tolbert in the Republican primary race for Del. Jed Arnold’s seat.
And in Danville, Dr. Gary Miller, a Democrat, and Madison Whittle, a Republican, will face off in November for the seat currently held by Del. Danny Marshall’s, after Miller eked out a victory over Jasmine Lipscomb in the closest contest out of any of the House primary races across the state.
Austin, the only House Republican to draw a primary challenge, beat Austen Schwend handily with around 67% of the vote. Austin, who has been in office for nearly 12 years, will go on to face Democrat Sharron Burgess in the solidly Republican 37th House district. The 37th District is made up of Botetourt, Alleghany, Rockbridge and Craig counties, along with the cities of Buena Vista, Lexington and Covington. President Donald Trump won the district with 69% of the vote in 2024.
“I owe a great deal of appreciation to the people of the 37th House District, and the faith and trust that they have placed in me and in my service to them, and I’ll do my very best to not let them down,” Austin said in a phone call after the race was called by the Virginia Public Access Project.
Littlepage will seek to unseat McNamara in a district where nearly 54% of the vote went to Trump in 2024. She beat fellow Democrat Keisha Preston with about 63% of the vote. McNamara has represented the 40th District since 2018. The district includes part of Roanoke County, part of Roanoke city and Salem.
“I’m grateful to the voters for the opportunity to be their nominee. It’s an honor to continue this journey and to engage with the residents of District 40 to hear their ideas and concerns and to discuss the experience and perspective I’ll bring to the General Assembly. This is a pivotal time for Virginia, and I’m ready to offer my skills and leadership as we work together to meet the challenges ahead and build a stronger future for our Commonwealth,” Littlepage said in a statement.
Cornett beat Tolbert with 54% of the vote. Both Republicans announced their intention to seek the solidly Republican seat after Arnold, R-Smyth County, announced that he would not seek reelection, citing his wife’s health issues as a main motivating factor.
Arnold ran unopposed in 2023. Trump won the district in 2024 with a 78.5% margin.
Cornett is a cattle farmer and volunteer first responder in Grayson County. He has referred to himself as a Christian conservative. He is the vice chair of the county Republican Party and sits on the Grayson County Board of Supervisors. He told WCYB-TV in a May interview that he is running for the seat to “stand up for the citizens” of the 46th District and to “be a strong voice for them in Richmond and to not bow to the Richmond establishment.”
Cornett will go on to face Democrat Jamie Ralston Hendry in the general election.
Two primary races were determined Tuesday night to see who would face off in November for the seat currently held by Del. Danny Marshall. Four candidates — two Democrats and two Republicans — announced their intention to run for the seat after Marshall announced he would not seek reelection, citing health concerns.
Miller, a Democrat, won the primary in House District 49 with 53% of the vote. He beat Jasmine Lipscomb in the closest primary race of the 17 House of Delegates contests.
Whittle, a Republican, won his primary with 85% of the vote. The two candidates will meet on the ballot in November to determine who will represent the Republican-leaning district, made up of Danville and parts of Halifax and Pittsylvania counties. Trump won the district with nearly 54% of the vote in 2024.
In a statement, Whittle said: ” With Delegate Marshall retiring there are big shoes to fill in the House of Delegates and I promise there is nobody that will work with more determination, dedication, discipline and the correct attitude to take this seat. “
In a phone call after the race was called, Miller reiterated the importance of both parties working together for the people of Southside Virginia to ensure access to health care and other necessities.
“I congratulate my opponent for a good hard race. It was pretty close and she did a good job. This is just one leg of the journey; we’ve got to go on now to the main election in the fall and I’m looking forward to that, to go ahead to win that as well. I’m working for the people of the Southside, I’m not working for the party — I’m working for the people,” he said.
Miller, a cardiologist and member of the Danville City Council, had run for the House seat once before, in 2013, he said. Whittle, who also sits on the Danville City Council and owns a property management company, entered the race in February with the endorsement of Marshall and Del. Eric Phillips, R-Henry County, who represents the adjoining district.