RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) – The Virginia General Assembly will look very different in 2024 after a wave of retirements – and decisions not to seek re-election – by state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Some of the remaining familiar faces in the state legislature who decided to run in new districts could also be ousted by new faces — or other Virginia lawmakers — running as primary challengers.
Fourteen Democratic lawmakers are running in the June 20 primaries, including two from Hampton Roads facing off in a high-stakes showdown. Six Republicans are also running, including two GOP delegates going head-to-head in Southwest Virginia.
The most high-profile Democratic primary battle is between state Sens. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) and Lionell Spruill Sr. (D-Chesapeake).
When Virginia’s political maps were redrawn during the required redistricting process in 2021, many new legislative districts pitted incumbent versus incumbent. Unlike the many incumbent battles that were resolved – either by lawmakers retiring, moving, deciding to run in another district, or not running at all – Lucas and Spruill decided to stay put.
“Here you have these two titans of the Senate,” Rich Meagher, a Randolph-Macon College political science professor, told 8News. “Big-named folks with lots of power and seniority and just neither wants to back down.”
Sen. Lucas, the president pro tempore of the Virginia Senate, is the third longest-serving state senator and will be at the top of the chamber’s seniority list next year if she wins over Sen. Spruill. (The top two Virginia senators on the list decided not to run for re-election)
Spruill, the chair of the Virginia Senate’s Privileges and Elections Committee, began serving in the chamber in 2016 after being in the House of Delegates for 22 years.
Meagher said while the primary has been “a little bruising,” he believes that “old wounds will get healed over pretty quick” because the focus will shift for Democrats and Republicans as they seek control of the Virginia General Assembly in November.
Two of the most polarizing Virginia lawmakers – Republican state Sen. Amanda Chase (Chesterfield) and Democratic state Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond) — are also being challenged in the primary.
Both are facing former lawmakers and are being outraised in their primaries. Chase is going against former state Sen. Glen Sturtevant and former congressional candidate Tina Ramirez. Morrissey is going to head-to-head against former Del. Lashrecse Aird.
When asked about how they could react to losses when lawmakers are expected to meet for a special session to vote on budget amendments, Meagher said Chase and Morrissey have proven to be “wildcards” but that he expects them to vote along party lines on most items.
“Chase is more kind of smoke rather than fire. I mean, she has tended to vote with her party even if she doesn’t sort of kick down to the caucus in a lot of ways,” Meagher said. “Morrissey too has been a pretty fairly loyal solider. He’s made a lot of noise about voting differently but he hasn’t done much of that actually. If he becomes emboldened by a primary loss, I guess anything can happen.”
While there are parallels, Meagher said Chase’s primary is different from Morrissey’s because she is facing off against Ramirez, another staunch conservative who could get support from voters who previously backed Chase.
The Aird-Morrissey primary is seen as one of the most-watched races this June as some Democrats and abortion rights advocates have turned the focus on Morrissey’s anti-abortion stance. The senator, who describes himself as “pro-life,” has backed proposals to set restrictions on the procedure in Virginia.
Two Republican state delegates – Wren Williams and Marie March – are vying to be the nominee in Virginia’s new 47th House District. The district in Southwest Virginia includes Carroll, Patrick and Floyd counties, Galax City and parts of Henry County.
Several longtime Democratic lawmakers are running in Senate and House primaries, including two facing challengers from the House of Delegates. These include:
- Senate District 11: Sen. Creigh Deeds vs. Del. Sally Hudson
- Senate District 14: Sen. Lamont Bagby vs. Katie Gooch. (Babgy is a former delegate who won the state Senate seat in a 2023 special election)
- Senate District 29: Sen. Jeremy McPike vs. Del. Elizabeth Guzman
- Senate District 35: Sen. Dave Marsden vs. Heidi Drauschak
- Senate District 36: Sen. George Barker vs. Stella Pekarsky
- Senate District 37: Sen. Chap Petersen vs. Saddam Azlan Salim
- Senate District 40: Sen. Barbara Favola vs. James DeVita
- House District 81: Del. Delores McQuinn vs. Terrence Lavell Walker
- House District 96: Del. Kelly Fowler vs. Susan Hippen vs. Brandon Hutchins vs. Sean Monteiro
Here are the Republican legislators running in the primaries:
- Senate District 17: Del. Emily Brewer vs. Hermie Sadler
- Senate District 27: Del. Tara Durant vs. Matt Strickland
- House District 59: Del. Buddy Fowler vs. Graven Craig vs. Philip Strother
The unprecedented number of primaries could have been sparked by the opportunity redistricting presented to newcomers and those running for another office, Meagher said. He added it could be part of a broader push for “generational change” to bring new faces into the mix.
“If you’re going to try it, now is a good time because the districts are destabilized and the incumbents are a little unknown to the district,” he told 8News.
While Meagher said he’s not good at projections, he predicted that many known lawmakers may fare well in the primaries. But he’s looking at how the primaries could shape the future of Virginia politics, especially those moderate lawmakers who might prevail through a tough primary battle.
“Does someone like Creigh Deeds or George Barker or someone like Dave Marsden or Jeremy McPike, do they become more progressive?” Meagher wondered.
