1999 Virginia state elections


Virginia's 1999 state elections were held on November 2, 1999. Voters elected all 100 members of the Virginia House of Delegates to two-year terms ending in 2002, and all 40 members of the Virginia Senate to four-year terms ending in 2004. There were also elections for local offices in most counties. The elections resulted in the loss of Democratic control of the House of Delegates for the first time in 116 years, and continued the two-year control of the Senate by Republicans.

Run up to the election

Governor Jim Gilmore had secured control of the Senate for Republicans for the first time in 114 years in 1997 when he appointed Democratic State Senator Charlie Waddell to a position with the Virginia Alcohol Beverage Control Board. He also appointed Delegate David G. Brickley as Director of Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation which resulted in a tie in control of the House of Delegates as the one Independent, Lacey Putney, caucused with the Republicans.
According to the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, the 1999 Virginia "legislative election delivered results unlike any of the others that preceded it in the 20th century. Republicans finally gained majority control of the House of Delegates, completing a thirty- year march to power. At the same time, the GOP maintained its narrow 21 to 19-seat control of the Senate of Virginia...."

Primaries and nomination contests

There were a few primaries in both parties in June, but all incumbents were renominated. The most notable primary was in Richmond's West End, where incumbent Republican Ann G. "Panny" Rhodes was opposed by her Governor and the dominant conservative wing of her party. According to the UVa Center for Politics, "Despite being outspent $440,000 to $236,000 in the state’s most expensive primary race, Rhodes won over 56 percent of the votes. Many Democrats joined moderate Republicans in defeating Gilmore’s choice, businessman Ruble Hord."
In all, there were nine primaries, two in the Senate and seven in the House.

Virginia Senate

Prior to these elections, Virginia's Senate consisted of 21 Republicans and 19 Democrats. Republicans and Democrats each defeated one opposing incumbent: the president pro tempore of the Senate, Stanley C. Walker of Norfolk, was defeated by Republican Nick Rerras after 18 years in the Senate. In Fairfax County, 16-year veteran Jane Woods was narrowly beaten by former U.S. Representative Leslie Byrne by just 37 votes out of over 30,000 cast.

Election Results

Party abbreviations: D - Democratic, R - Republican, I - Independent, IG - Independent Green, L - Libertarian
DistrictIncumbentPartyElectedStatus2003 Result
1stMarty WilliamsRepublican1995ReelectedMarty Williams unopposed
2ndW. Henry MaxwellDemocrat1993ReelectedW. Henry Maxwell 80.7%
M. A. Rogers, Sr. 19.3%
3rdTommy NormentRepublican1991ReelectedTommy Norment 63.0%
Lynwood Lewis 37.0%
4thBill BollingRepublican1995ReelectedBill Bolling unopposed
5thYvonne MillerDemocrat1988ReelectedYvonne Miller unopposed
6thStanley C. WalkerDemocrat1971DefeatedNick Rerras 59.3%
Stanley C. Walker 40.7%
7thEd SchrockRepublican1995ReelectedEd Schrock unopposed
8thKen StolleRepublican1991ReelectedKen Stolle unopposed
9thBenjamin LambertDemocrat1986ReelectedBenjamin Lambert unopposed
10thJohn WatkinsRepublican1998ReelectedJohn Watkins 70.0%
Alex McMurtrie, Jr. 30.0%
11thStephen H. MartinRepublican1994ReelectedStephen H. Martin 64.6%
W. S. Hastings, Jr. 35.4%
13thFred QuayleRepublican1991ReelectedFred Quayle 76.4%
Richard H. Ramsey, Sr. 23.2%
17thEdd HouckDemocratic1983ReelectedEdd Houck 59.5%
Robert G. Stuber 40.5%
18thLouise LucasDemocrat1991ReelectedLouise Lucas 69.8%
Walter D Brown, III 30.1%
20thRoscoe ReynoldsDemocratic1996ReelectedRoscoe Reynolds 67.8%
Thomas L Peterson 32.2%
22ndMalfourd W. TrumboRepublican1991ReelectedMalfourd W. Trumbo unopposed
23rdStephen NewmanRepublican1995ReelectedStephen Newman 64.1%
Robert E Clarke 35.9%
24thEmmett HangerRepublican1995ReelectedEmmett Hanger 74.3%
Steven Sisson 25.7%<
26thKevin G. MillerRepublican1983RetiredMark Obenshain 67.9%
Rodney L. Eagle 31.9%
27thRuss PottsRepublican1991ReelectedRuss Potts 58.2%
Mark R. Herring 41.1%
29thChuck ColganDemocratic1975ReelectedChuck Colgan 54.7%
David C Mabie 45.3%
31stMary Margaret WhippleDemocratic1995ReelectedMary Margaret Whipple 69.4%
Kamal Nawash 30.3%
32ndJanet HowellDemocratic1992ReelectedJanet Howell 56.7%
David Hunt 43.3%
34thLeslie ByrneDemocrat1999RetiredJeannemarie Devolites 52.8%
Ronald F Christian 47.1%
34thDick SaslawDemocratic1980ReelectedDick Saslaw 82.5%
C.W. Levy 16.4%
36thToddy PullerDemocratic1999ReelectedToddy Puller 55.4%
Chris Braunlich 44.5%
37thKen CuccinelliRepublican2001ReelectedKen Cuccinelli 53.3%
James E Mitchell, III 46.6%
39thJay O'BrienRepublican2002ReelectedJay O'Brien 57.8%
Greg Galligan 42.2%

House of Delegates

Going into the elections, there were 50 Democrats, 49 Republicans and 1 Independent, which meant the parties were effectively tied, as the one Independent caucused with the Republicans. Despite winning about 55% of the statewide vote, Republicans netted three additional seats. Two senior Democratic incumbents were defeated: Gladys Keating of the Franconia area of Fairfax County and in Virginia Beach, Glenn Croshaw. The Democrats captured one open seat from the Republicans when Benny Keister replaced retiring Republican Delegate Tommy Baker in the 7th District centered on Pulaski County. Republicans also
won two open seats replacing Democrats. George Broman of Culpeper County captured the district of retiring Delegate Butch Davies, and on the Virginia Peninsula, Republican Phil Larrabee of Hampton won captured the seat of retiring Democratic Delegate Vince Behm gaining a plurality in a four-person race. As a result, Republicans had 52 seats, Democrats 47 and 1 Independent.