Virginia state senator reacts to changing power in state legislature

For the first time in decades, democrats control both houses of the General Assembly, along with the governor's office. None of the seats flipped in the state were in the valley, but there could still be impacts here.

Virginia state senator Mark Obenshain (R-Harrisonburg) said the results from Tuesday's election were not what they wanted to see.

"Yesterday was not quite what we were hoping for," Obenshain said. "But, I'm going to go to Richmond and continue to fight for the principals and values that voters of the Shenandoah Valley have sent me down there to fight for."

Throughout the state, democrats won seats previously held by republicans. Obenshain said with democrats in control, they will have more success on some issues.

"The reason we have two different parties is that we disagree about those things and we're going to continue to disagree about them," Obenshain said. "But they have the upper hand on some of those issues, and they're going to enjoy a measure of success."

Obenshain said one change in the General Assembly will be with the committees and it will be a drastic change.

"Democrats will be establishing the committee structure will be assigning committee chairs and we're just going to have to live with those consequences," Obenshain said.

Both Obenshain and majority leader Todd Gilbert (R-Shenandoah) said Virginians can expect to see policies that are very liberal. In a statement on Tuesday night, Gilbert said in part, "Democrats will seek to make good on their extreme agenda. We will fight that agenda at every turn."

Gilbert acknowledged that it will be difficult to do with democrats in control of both houses. You can see Gilbert's full statement below.

“I am honored and thankful to be re-elected by what appears to be a historic margin in a contested race in this district. This outcome is a testament to how hard I have worked to reflect my constituents’ values, to fix their problems and to be available to hear their concerns. I commend my opponent on a hard-fought race." "The outcome across Virginia is far less encouraging. Liberal judicial gerrymandering and millions of dollars in outside spending from Democrat billionaires and special interests heavily influenced this off-year election. Make no mistake: radical liberals from out of our Commonwealth will soon demand a return on the tens of millions they invested to elect a far-left Democratic majority. "Virginians should expect public policies that look a lot more like the train-wreck that is California than the Virginia of good fiscal management and common-sense conservative governance. Republican policies have kept Virginians safe, prosperous, and free for more than two decades. In the months ahead, Democrats will seek to make good on their extreme agenda. We will fight that agenda at every turn, but with unchecked control of both Houses and a governor still desperately seeking rehabilitation, we will have our work cut out for us. One thing is for certain, Democrats will completely own the results of the next two years."