Republicans retaining control of House of Delegates

Republicans tonight were well on their way to retaining—and perhaps increasing—their control of the Virginia House of Delegates.

Heading into the election today, Republicans held 53 seats and Democrats held 45. Two independents generally vote with the Republicans.

That meant Democrats needed to add six seats to gain control of the chamber. They apparently did not get close.

In a hotly contested local race, Del. John M. O’Bannon III, R-Henrico, defeated Democrat Tom Shields to win a sixth term. O’Bannon is a physician; Shields runs a leadership program at the University of Richmond.

The partisan equation did not change locally, as the incumbent parties held two open seats and six other incumbents won re-election.

In a contest for one open seat, Democrat Betsy Carr, who serves on the Richmond School Board, defeated Republican Ernesto V. Sampson Jr. and Independent L. Shirley Harvey. Carr will take over the seat vacated by Del. Franklin P. Hall, the veteran Democrat who recently resigned and accepted a position on the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board.

In the contest for the other local open seat, Republican John Cox defeated Democrat Robert Barnette to win the seat of Del. Frank D. Hargrove Sr., R-Hanover, who is retiring after 27 years in the House.

Incumbents rarely lose seats in Virginia races for the House of Delegates. In 2007, incumbents held 90 of 92 seats, according to the Virginia Public Access Project, an online watchdog of money in Virginia politics.

But a few appeared likely to change hands last night:

  * With 12 of 15 precincts reporting, Democratic challenger Robin Abbott, a lawyer, held a 900-vote lead over Del. Philip A. Hamilton, R-Newport News, a 21-year veteran who is vice chairman of the budget-writing House Appropriations Committee. Hamilton is the subject of a legislative probe and a grand-jury investigation. At issue is his role in seeking a job at a teaching center at Old Dominion University before he put in a budget amendment seeking the center’s creation.

  * Republican Chris P. Stolle, a physician, knocked off Del. Joseph F. Bouchard, D-Virginia Beach. Bouchard was first elected in 2007, beating Stolle by 131 votes.

  * In Southwest Virginia, Republican challenger James Morefield, a small-business owner, defeated Del. Dan C. Bowling, D-Tazewell, who was first elected in 2005.

  * In another notable contest, Democrats led in the fight for the Prince William County seat vacated by Del. Jeffrey M. Frederick, who was ousted in April as chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia. Democrat Luke Torian, pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church, was ahead of Republican Rafael Lopez, a former member of the Dumfries Town Council.

All 100 House seats were up for election today, but only 69 were contested.

Contact Andrew Cain at (804) 649-6645 or .