UPDATE: The Stunning Upset Continues, As Virginia Republicans Flip House of Delegates
Overcome 2:1 Spending Disadvantage to Gain Seats in House for First Time Since 2013 Election
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Republican State Leadership Committee’s (RSLC) stunning upset continued tonight, as Kim Taylor ousted Democrat incumbent Lashrecse Aird in House District 63, a district Democrats have controlled for decades. This historic victory gives Republicans control of Virginia’s House of Delegates. The win comes despite Virginia Republicans being outspent 2:1 and snaps a three cycle streak of net losses in House of Delegates races. House Democrats had netted a total of 22 seats over the last three election cycles.
The Republican State Leadership Committee and its affiliated groups led this historic effort by investing more in Virginia House races than any other Republican organization. These resources went to recruiting, training, and supporting strong candidates in battleground districts across the commonwealth, as well as multiple, innovative paid media campaigns run directly by RSLC PAC.
“It’s official: Virginians have completely rejected the failed policies of the liberals running Richmond and voted for a brighter future full of supported small businesses, empowered parents, and safer streets. As I said earlier tonight, this success was a culmination of months of hard work for the RSLC, as we supported the right candidates, developed the right messages, and executed the right strategies to overcome a 2:1 spending disadvantage driven by national liberals like Barack Obama, Eric Holder, Nancy Pelosi, and Stacey Abrams,” said RSLC President Dee Duncan. “Simply ending Democrat control in the House of Delegates would have been a remarkable success, capturing the majority is an upset of monumental proportions. Congratulations to Leader Todd Gilbert and his team for overcoming all the odds. We know full well, however, that tonight’s result will motivate Democrats in 2022 and we need to be ready to stop them.
Tonight’s results are a devastating blow to Virginia Democrats and the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee (DLCC). The DLCC said holding their Democrat majority in the Virginia was its “number one priority this year” and that they would “do whatever it takes to keep it blue.” Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn even told the Associated Press less than a week before the election, “the majority is safe” and WRIC-Richmond “it won’t be as close as people think on Election Day.”
RSLC PAC began its paid media efforts in Virginia in June with a digital ad campaign in 13 target districts highlighting how Richmond liberals were no different than the Democrats controlling Washington, D.C. The PAC then ramped up its spending in the state with hard hitting television advertising against 10 candidates on August 17. These were the first television ads run in Virginia’s House of Delegates races and even the Washington Post at the time noted how the spots came “unusually early in the district election cycle.”
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