Virginia Democrats sweep legislative elections after campaigning on abortion rights

By SARAH RANKIN
Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Virginia Democrats who campaigned on protecting abortion rights have swept this year’s legislative elections, retaking full control of the General Assembly after two years of divided power. Tuesday’s outcome is a sharp loss for Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who exerted a great deal of energy, money and political capital on an effort to secure a GOP trifecta. With a full statehouse majority, Democrats will have even greater leeway to thwart Youngkin’s policy agenda, though they will have to work with him to advance their own. Every General Assembly seat was on the ballot this year, with the most competitive seats based in Hampton Roads and the suburbs of Richmond and Washington.