Henrico County, Virginia

Virginia's midterm House races produced several competitive outcomes. In the 1st District, Democrat Shannon Taylor leads longtime Republican Rep. Rob Wittman with all precincts reporting but mail-in votes still being counted, a seat Republicans had held since 1977. In the 2nd District, former Rep. Elaine Luria unseated Republican incumbent Jen Kiggans in a rematch, flipping that seat for Democrats. Republican John McGuire appears to have held the 5th District against Democrat Tom Perriello, while Democratic incumbent Jennifer McClellan won reelection easily in the 4th District. Democrats, who entered the cycle with six of Virginia's 11 House seats, are now positioned to hold eight.

Virginia voters head to the polls Nov. 3 to decide three constitutional amendments — on reproductive rights, marriage equality, and automatic restoration of voting rights for felons after sentence completion — alongside federal races. Sen. Mark Warner seeks a fourth term against Bert Mizusawa, while competitive U.S. House contests play out in the 1st (Wittman vs. Taylor), 4th (McClellan vs. Murray and Bell), and 5th (McGuire vs. Perriello and Harvey) districts. Richmond and Chesterfield voters will also weigh a 1% sales tax increase to fund school construction, alongside 45 other Virginia localities, plus local School Board and Board of Supervisors races. Early voting runs through Oct. 31.

Virginia's 1st and 5th congressional districts have drawn roughly $1.1 million in combined trading on Kalshi and Polymarket, the most activity among the state's House races, as both could factor into control of Congress. In the 5th District, Republican Rep. John McGuire is favored over Democrat Tom Perriello. In the 1st District, Democrat Shannon Taylor is favored to flip the seat held by Republican Rep. Rob Wittman. A third race, the 2nd District rematch between Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans and Democrat Elaine Luria, has also seen heavy betting, with markets strongly favoring Luria.

More broadly, prediction markets favor Democrats to retake the House and give them an edge in the Senate, with over $165 million traded on House control and $99 million on the Senate across both platforms.

Hanover and Henrico counties are advancing local zoning ordinances to regulate recreational marijuana businesses ahead of Virginia's retail market launch on July 1, 2027. While the state will handle licensing and most regulations, localities retain control over zoning, local tax rates, operating hours, and distance requirements between cannabis businesses. Hanover's proposed ordinance would require a one-mile buffer from other cannabis businesses, hospitals, schools, day cares, and parks, with retail hours limited to weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Henrico's draft calls for a 1,000-foot buffer and a county-approved security plan. Both proposals require conditional use permits involving public review. Henrico's board of supervisors will make final decisions; Hanover holds a public hearing January 27.

Three competitive Virginia congressional races are drawing national attention as potential bellwethers for House control. In the 1st District, Republican Rep. Rob Wittman faces Democrat Shannon Taylor in a toss-up contest; analysts say a Taylor win would signal strong odds of a Democratic House takeover nationally. The 2nd District race between Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans and Democrat Elaine Luria leans Democratic, while the 5th District matchup between Republican Rep. John McGuire and Democrat Tom Perriello leans Republican. Political scientists note that if Republicans sweep all three seats, they are likely to retain the House. Early voting runs through Oct. 31, with Election Day set for Nov. 3.

In Virginia's 1st Congressional District, Democratic prosecutor Shannon Taylor is challenging longtime Republican Rep. Rob Wittman with an anti-corruption message, accusing him of enriching himself through stock trades in companies he helps regulate. Wittman denies wrongdoing, says his portfolio is managed by outside advisers and reflects inheritances, has backed legislation limiting stock trading, and calls Taylor "a liar." The district, unrepresented by a Democrat since the 1970s, backed Trump by about 5 points in 2024 but went for Gov. Abigail Spanberger by nearly 3 points in 2025, making it a top Democratic flip target. Wittman has outraised Taylor roughly two-to-one, though outside groups have spent nearly $5 million attacking him on her behalf. Wittman, who has never won by fewer than 10 points, has deep local ties and Trump's endorsement, while Taylor has pledged to support a stock-trading ban, term limits, and a lobbying ban for former members of Congress.

The race reflects a broader anti-corruption theme emerging nationally this midterm cycle, with similar stock-trading and ethics attacks surfacing in North Carolina, New Jersey, and Virginia's neighboring 2nd District, where Rep. Jen Kiggans faces Democrat Elaine Luria. Polling shows voters are more likely to associate corruption with Republicans, giving Democrats an opening to tie incumbents to affordability frustrations and Trump-era controversies.

A Chesterfield County, Virginia police intelligence investigator, Rebekkah Robinson, was arrested after coworkers reported she was allegedly misusing the department's Flock automatic license plate reader (ALPR) system and police databases. She faces two counts of computer invasion of privacy and two counts of violating state ALPR law; her system access was revoked and she was placed on unpaid administrative leave.

The arrest follows other recent ALPR misuse cases in Virginia, including incidents in Richmond and Henrico County, and has prompted renewed legislative scrutiny. State Sen. Mike Jones (D) is drafting bills requiring warrants for ALPR data access and decertifying officers who misuse the systems, while opposing an outright ban in favor of local control. Sen. Glen Sturtevant (R) plans to introduce legislation banning Flock-style cameras statewide, arguing against a "surveillance state." Richmond's mayor has already shortened the city's ALPR data retention policy, and Chesterfield's police chief has ordered a 30-day review of department systems.

Early voting opened Sept. 18 in Virginia ahead of the Nov. 3 election, with voting continuing through Oct. 31 and a voter registration deadline of Oct. 23. Voters statewide will decide three constitutional amendments covering reproductive rights, marriage equality (protecting gay and interracial marriage), and automatic restoration of voting rights for felons who complete their sentences.

Congressional races include Democratic Sen. Mark Warner seeking a fourth term against Republican Bert Mizusawa, plus contests in the 1st District (Rob Wittman vs. Shannon Taylor), 4th District (Jennifer McClellan vs. Robert Murray Jr. and Joan Bell), and 5th District (John McGuire vs. Tom Perriello and Cooke Harvey). Richmond and Chesterfield voters, along with 45 other localities, will also weigh a potential 1% sales tax increase dedicated to school construction, projected to raise roughly $47 million annually in Richmond and up to $70 million in Chesterfield. Local races include a Richmond School Board special election and a contested Chesterfield School Board seat.