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House District 70 Republican primary: Cynthia Scaturico wins nomination
Cynthia Scaturico took home the Republican nomination in the House District 70 race Tuesday night, and will go on to face incumbent Democrat Del. Shelly Simonds in the November election. As of 9:27 p.m. with 62% ballots counted, Scaturico amassed more than 74% of the ballots cast, according to the Associated Press, which called the race for her. Opponent Hailey Dollar garnered roughly 26% of the vote.
Carnegie, Lamonea win House District 89 primaries
Democrat Karen “Kacey” Carnegie will face Republican Mike Lamonea in the November House District 89 race, after both candidates won their party’s respective primaries Tuesday. Carnegie beat Blaizen Buckshot Bloom with more than 76% of the vote when the Associated Press called the race Tuesday night. Carnegie had 2,706 votes as of 8:51 p.m., and Bloom had 848 votes. Lamonea beat Kristen Shannon with 65% of the vote when the Associated Press called the race at 9:17 p.m. Lamonea had 2,168 votes compared to Shannon’s 1,000 votes.
Virginia will elect its first female governor this fall. Neither candidate is talking much about it
This fall’s gubernatorial race in Virginia will make history no matter who wins: Either Democrat Abigail Spanberger or Republican Winsome Earle-Sears will become the state’s first elected female governor. For now, that seems to be an afterthought. Spanberger and Earle-Sears, who are each unopposed in Tuesday’s primaries ahead of a November matchup, have little apparent appetite to dwell on gender. Both of their campaigns would rather focus on Virginians’ concerns about tariffs and federal job cuts, as well as how the next governor can make the state more affordable.
House races: Austin victorious over primary challenger in HD 37 and other Southwest, Southside races
The table is set for November in Southwest and Southside Virginia after Tuesday’s primary elections determined the ballot for the general election in five House of Delegates races. Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt County, beat his primary challenger. In the Roanoke Valley, Democrat Donna Littlepage will go on to face Republican Del. Joe McNamara. In a district that spans Grayson, Pulaski, Smyth and Wythe counties, Mitchell Cornett outpaced Adam Tolbert in the Republican primary race for Del. Jed Arnold’s seat. And in Danville, Dr. Gary Miller, a Democrat, and Madison Whittle, a Republican, will face off in November for the seat currently held by Del. Danny Marshall’s, after Miller eked out a victory over Jasmine Lipscomb in the closest contest out of any of the House primary races across the state.
Primary election results from Roanoke and New River valleys
Donna Littlepage claimed the Democratic nomination after a primary election in House District 40, according to unofficial results Tuesday night. Littlepage led by more than 1,000 votes over fellow Democrat Kiesha Preston. The district covers Salem, part of Roanoke County and three precincts in Roanoke City. ... To the north, incumbent Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt, commanded the vote against his first primary election challenger of his six-term tenure representing House District 37, according to unofficial results. He took 81% of the vote versus political newcomer Austen Schwend in Lexington ...
UVa board elects new — and historic — rector and vice rector
For the first time in history, the University of Virginia's governing Board of Visitors will be headed by a woman rector and vice rector. Rachel Sheridan, a partner at the Washington, D.C.-based law firm of Kirkland & Ellis, has been elected rector, ... Porter Wilkinson, another lawyer and chief of staff to the Smithsonian Institution’s Board of Regents, has been elected vice rector. ... Sheridan and Wilkinson, both UVa alumni, were appointed by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Sheridan in 2023 and Wilkinson in 2024. Sheridan donated $25,000 to Youngkin's 2021 campaign for governor, according to the Virginia Public Access Project ... Wilkinson is not recorded to have donated to Youngkin's campaign, according to the same records, but she has strong family connections to the Republican Party.
Jay Jones wins Democratic AG nomination; gubernatorial candidates hold rallies
Former Norfolk Del. Jay Jones was ahead in preliminary results for the Democratic attorney general primary Tuesday night, according to a call by the Associated Press. While the Democratic race for lieutenant governor was too close to call based on preliminary results, state Sen. Ghazala Hashmi (D–Chesterfield) — holding a narrow lead over former Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney and state Sen. Aaron Rouse (D–Virginia Beach) — claimed victory. (All election results are unofficial until certified by the state.) Virginia’s gubernatorial nominees, who were not on primary ballots, made their opening arguments for the general election as the primaries drew to a close, promising affordability and differing versions of stability, casting their opponent as extreme, and laying out stark policy differences on cultural and economic issues.
Jay Jones wins Democratic nomination for attorney general
Jay Jones emerged victorious in Tuesday’s primary election as the Democratic nominee for attorney general. He will face incumbent Republican Jason Miyares in November. With 95% of votes counted, The Associated Press called the race for Jones. Jones, an attorney who previously represented Norfolk in the Virginia House of Delegates, had 51% of the vote compared to Henrico Commonwealth’s Attorney Shannon Taylor, who had 49%.
Youngkin set to headline annual Iowa GOP dinner
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is headed to Iowa. The term-limited Republican is set to headline the Republican Party of Iowa’s annual Lincoln Dinner on July 17 in Des Moines. The appearance will add to the speculation that Mr. Youngkin, a former businessman, is considering running for the 2028 GOP presidential nomination. Iowa has traditionally been the first stop on the Republican Party’s nomination calendar.
HRBT’s 2nd tunnel nears completion as project remains on schedule, within budget
Since moving its completion date back significantly last spring, the Hampton Roads Bridge-Tunnel Expansion Project has remained on schedule and its total budget has not changed. The project’s contractor, Hampton Roads Connector Partners, asked for an 18-month extension in March 2024, citing unforeseen cost and schedule effects. The project is still slated to reach substantial completion — the point when motorists will be able to use the new infrastructure — by February 2027 and final completion by August 2027, according to Ryan Banas, director of the expansion project.