Primaries Do Make a Difference

June 21, 2023

I do hope you all voted yesterday – primaries do make a difference!  We have talked about the significant level of retirements, and/or the decisions to seek other positions that will cause a 25% to 30% turnover in the General Assembly this year.  One big factor was that where the redistricting created districts that included two incumbents, many chose not to run against a colleague!  

In the primaries we had a full range of competitions – a few with incumbent challenges (Lucas & Spruill) and some with a Delegate challenging an incumbent Senator (Deeds and Hudson).    The results are here (compliments of VPAP).

There will be some issues based on the “position” or passion of the successful candidate – and remeber we still have the election in November.   Some districts lean so far toward the D or the R that the primary is essentially “the election.”   The biggest issue is the loss of senior members with their vast institutional knowledge –  we have a lot of educating to do!