National Democratic group boosts Srinivasan, Singh in upcoming Virginia special elections

With a Republican-controlled White House, U.S. House and Senate on the horizon, some special elections in Virginia next month are the first opportunity for voters to challenge or reinforce Democratic majorities in the state legislature.  

That’s why the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee is putting a spotlight on Senate District 32 and House District 26. 

After winning a Democratic primary, Del. Kannan Srinivasan, D-Loudoun, will face off against Republican Tumay Harding to be elected to the Virginia Senate. He could succeed Sen. Suhas Subramanyam, who was elected to the U.S. Congress last month.

Virginia prepares for special elections as McGuire, Subramanyam head to Congress

Then, J.J. Singh, who won a Democratic primary for Loudoun County-based House District 26, could potentially succeed Srinivasan’s House seat. He faces Republican Ram Venkatachalam. 

DLCC director Heather Williams issued a statement noting that protecting Democrats’ slim majorities will “position us to be competitive in November when the entire House of Delegates is on the ballot alongside a competitive gubernatorial race.”

Democrats currently have a 21-19 edge in the Senate and a  51-48 lead in the House with Republican Glenn Youngkin as governor.

She added that Virginia can be a key indicator of “what the fight ahead looks like” to build Democratic power in states amid the Republican majorities in federal government. 

“Fortifying the Democratic firewall in the states has never been more important, and that work starts in Virginia,” she said. 

Through the DLCC “spotlight” program, Srinivasan and Singh will be assisted in fundraising and can tap into DLCC experts on staff for advice or help with organizing. The group has boosted legislative candidates around the country and focuses on seats that are crucial for protecting or making majorities, said Sam Paisley, an interim communications director with DLCC. 

Democratic majority can jumpstart planned constitutional amendments

While DLCC is watching key state elections around the country for how they can support Democrats’ ability to balance out federal GOP majorities, Virginia’s Democratic majorities will be a key part of advancing planned amendments to the state’s constitution.

Va. House panel advances amendments on abortion rights, marriage equality and voting rights

The amendments would enshrine abortion access protections into the constitution, remove a prohibition on same-sex marriage from it, and create an automatic process for formerly incarcerated people with felony convictions to have their rights restored. 

Virginia is the least-restrictive Southern state when it comes to abortion access. The matter was paramount in the 2023 state legislative elections as Democrats vowed to protect current law (and eventually enshrine it into the constitution) and many Republicans coalesced around a 15-week cap on most abortions. 

Under current Virginia law, any abortion occurring in the third trimester requires approval from three doctors. The new amendment would reduce that threshold to one doctor, should a later stage abortion be deemed necessary to protect the life or mental health of the pregnant person or should their fetus be deemed not viable.

With no national definition of fetal viability — which refers to the likelihood of a fetus being able to survive outside of the womb — doctors typically make the determination on a case-by-case basis.

In Virginia, people with felony convictions are all but permanently disenfranchised from various rights, even after they’ve completed prison sentences. Previous governors’ administrations had streamlined a restoration process. Then Youngkin’s administration made it petition-based with unclear criteria. 

That meant that hundreds of applicants this year were rejected — and therefore unable to vote in presidential and congressional elections — without knowing why. 

“This amendment creates a process that is bound by transparent rules and criteria that will apply equally to everybody,” the bill’s sponsor Del. Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria said last month. 

Meanwhile, the third amendment would allow Virginia to continue recognizing same-sex marriages should federal protections be undone, as they were with abortion protections. Since a 2006 amendment, Virginia’s constitution defines marriage between a man and a woman. Though it’s been rendered moot since a 2015 Supreme Court of the United States decision, some lawmakers and LGBTQ advocates have stressed the importance of removing the prohibition in case that precedent were to fall (as Supreme Court judge Clarence Thomas has expressed interest in revisiting). 

While a Democrat-led panel was able to advance all three amendments earlier this month, the marriage equality one saw bipartisan support.

Placing these policies into the constitution would make them less subject to partisan shifts in the legislature or governors’ mansion — but it’s also a longer process than just passing one law. 

Constitutional amendments have to clear both chambers of the legislature two years in a row, with a House of Delegates election in between. From there, they can appear as ballot referendums for voters around the state to approve or reject. This means voters could weigh in by November 2026 — if the proposals pass in 2025 and earlier in 2026. 

Senate District 10 special election still unclear

While Srinivasan and Singh have the chance to lock down Democratic control in each chamber, the Republican-leaning state senate seat still hasn’t had its special election set.

McGuire still hasn’t resigned his state Senate seat weeks after congressional win

Sen. John McGuire, R-Goochland’s election to Congress last month will create a vacancy in Senate District 10 — but he has not yet formally resigned from his current position. 

State law outlines that special elections must be set within 30 days of a vacancy or notification of it — whichever occurs first.

Last week, Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover told The Mercury that he was confident there would also be an election to replace McGuire on Jan. 7, but did not elaborate further. As of this week, he relayed that there are no new updates. 

McGuire, who was reached by phone, said to send him an email. He did not respond by the time of this publication.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to correct the spelling of Del. Kannan Srinavasan’s name.