FRANKLIN

Statewide, Democrats flipped Virginia’s General Assembly Tuesday evening, taking control of the House and the Senate. Western Tidewater, however, saw no change in representation at the state level.

According to unofficial results published on the Virginia Department of Elections website, Del. Roslyn Tyler (D-75) successfully defended her House of Delegates seat from Republican challenger H. Otto Wachsmann Jr., having received 12,338 votes (51 percent) to Wachsmann’s 11,833 (48.91 percent) district-wide. The 75^th District, as of February 2019, now includes all of Southampton, Sussex, Greensville and Brunswick counties, as well as part of Lunenburg County and the cites of Franklin and Emporia.

Tyler’s success reflected locally in Franklin, with the Democratic incumbent receiving 1,497 votes (56.77 percent) to Wachsmann’s 1,137 (43.12 percent). But in spite of Tyler’s success in Franklin and overall, Southampton County voters favored Wachsmann, with 4,156 votes (60.11 percent) compared to Tyler’s 2,758 (39.89 percent).

In the state Senate, Sen. L. Louise Lucas (D-18) also kept her seat with 42,988 votes (93.12 percent) district-wide. Though Lucas had run unopposed, there were 3,176 write-in votes (6.88 percent) district-wide.

Sen. John Cosgrove Jr. (R-14) also retained his Senate seat, defeating Democratic challenger Rebecca “Becky” Raveson, with 36,226 votes (60.12 percent) to Raveson’s 23,890 (39.65 percent). This result was also reflected locally, with Cosgrove receiving 1,801 votes (71.72 percent) in Southampton County, compared to Raveson’s 710 (28.28 percent); in Franklin with Cosgrove receiving 836 votes (67.26 percent) compared to Raveson’s 404 (32.5 percent); and in Isle of Wight County, with Cosgrove receiving 1,347 votes (69.5 percent) to Raveson’s 589 (30.39 percent). There were a total of 138 write-in votes district-wide in the 14^th District race.

In the 64^th House of Delegates District, which now includes all of Isle of Wight County and Surry County, as well as most of Prince George County and part of the city of Suffolk, Republican incumbent Del. Emily Brewer defeated her Democratic challenger, Michele Joyce, with 16,179 votes (60.12 percent) to Joyce’s 10,700 (39.76 percent). This was also reflected locally, with Brewer receiving 7,304 votes (60.41 percent) in Isle of Wight County, compared to Joyce’s 4,780 (39.54 percent).

State Sen. Thomas “Tommy” Norment Jr. (R-03) also kept his seat, defeating Democratic challenger Herbert “Herb” Jones Jr. with 50,088 votes (61.56 percent) to Jones’ 31,001 (38.1 percent) district-wide. There were also 271 write-in votes, accounting for 0.33 percent of the total votes cast district-wide. This result was also reflected locally, with Norment receiving 4,181 votes (58.15 percent) in Isle of Wight County compared to Jones’ 2,999 (41.71 percent) and 10 write-in votes (0.14 percent).