2007 Virginia Senate election

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2007 Virginia Senate election
November 6, 2007
All 40 seats in the Virginia Senate
21[a] seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Dick Saslaw Walter Stosch
Party Democratic Republican
Leader since January 10, 1996 January 13, 1998
Leader's seat District 35 District 12
Last election 16 24
Seats before 17[b] 23
Seats after 21 19
Seat change Increase 4 Decrease 4
Results:
     Democratic hold      Democratic gain
     Republican hold
Majority Leader before election

Walter Stosch
Republican

 Elected Majority Leader

Dick Saslaw
Democratic

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The 2007 Virginia Senate election was held on November 6, 2007, to determine which party would control the Virginia Senate for the following four years in the 155th Virginia General Assembly. All 40 seats in the Virginia Senate were up for election. Prior to the election, 24 seats were held by Republicans and 16 seats were held by Democrats. The general election saw Democrats flip 5 seats, thereby gaining a majority in the State Senate for the first time since 1995.[1][2]

Retirements

Republicans

  1. District 19: Charles R. Hawkins retired.
  2. District 27: Russ Potts retired.
  3. District 28: John Chichester retired.

Defeated incumbents

In primary

Republicans

  1. District 1: Marty Williams lost renomination to Patricia Stall.
  2. District 22: Brandon Bell lost renomination to Ralph K. Smith.

Democrats

  1. District 9: Benjamin Lambert lost renomination to Donald McEachin.

In general

Republicans

  1. District 6: Nick Rerras lost re-election to Ralph Northam.
  2. District 34: Jeannemarie Devolites Davis lost re-election to Chap Petersen.
  3. District 39: Jay O'Brien lost re-election to George Barker.

Closest races

Seats where the margin of victory was under 10%:

  1. District 37, 0.20%
  2. District 27, 1.20%
  3. District 28, 1.40%
  4. District 22, 1.80%
  5. District 39, 1.90% (gain)
  6. District 1, 2.50% (gain)
  7. District 29, 8.30%
  8. District 6, 8.80% (gain)

Results

District 1

District 1 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sharon Hewitt 15,502 51.10%
Republican Patricia Stall 14,771 48.60%
Scattering 93 0.30%
Total votes 30,366 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 2

District 2 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mamie Locke (incumbent) 12,242 94.10%
Scattering 772 5.90%
Total votes 13,014 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 3

District 3 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Tommy Norment (incumbent) 29,669 95.10%
Scattering 1,531 4.90%
Total votes 31,200 100.0%
Republican hold

District 4

District 4 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ryan McDougle (incumbent) 33,148 98.30%
Scattering 571 1.70%
Total votes 33,719 100.0%
Republican hold

District 5

District 5 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Yvonne B. Miller (incumbent) 10,977 96.90%
Scattering 350 3.10%
Total votes 11,327 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 6

District 6 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Ralph Northam 17,307 54.30%
Republican Nick Rerras (incumbent) 14,499 45.50%
Scattering 45 0.20%
Total votes 31,851 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 7

District 7 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank Wagner (incumbent) 15,426 96.80%
Scattering 517 3.20%
Total votes 15,943 100.0%
Republican hold

District 8

District 8 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ken Stolle (incumbent) 13,137 95.60%
Scattering 606 4.40%
Total votes 13,743 100.0%
Republican hold

District 9

District 9 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Donald McEachin 16,782 80.90%
Independent Silver Persinger 3,789 18.30%
Scattering 169 0.80%
Total votes 20,740 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 10

District 10 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Watkins (incumbent) 27,515 97.60%
Scattering 689 2.40%
Total votes 28,204 100.0%
Republican hold

District 11

District 11 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Steve Martin (incumbent) 16,478 62.40%
Democratic Alex McMurtie Jr. 4,852 18.40%
Independent Roger Habeck 3,879 14.70%
Independent Hank Cook 1,138 4.30%
Scattering 54 0.20%
Total votes 26,401 100.0%
Republican hold

District 12

District 12 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Walter Stosch (incumbent) 26,265 97.30%
Scattering 737 2.70%
Total votes 27,002 100.0%
Republican hold

District 13

District 13 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Fred Quayle (incumbent) 21,114 58.60%
Democratic Steve Heretick 14,821 41.10%
Scattering 83 0.30%
Total votes 36,018 100.0%
Republican hold

District 14

District 14 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Harry Blevins (incumbent) 13,402 70.80%
Libertarian W. Donald Tabor Jr. 5,455 28.80%
Scattering 66 0.40%
Total votes 18,923 100.0%
Republican hold

District 15

District 15 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Frank Ruff (incumbent) 25,429 59.00%
Democratic Bob Wilkerson 17,658 40.90%
Scattering 37 0.10%
Total votes 43,124 100.0%
Republican hold

District 16

District 16 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Henry L. Marsh (incumbent) 11,186 66.60%
Independent Robert Owens 5,557 33.10%
Scattering 45 0.30%
Total votes 16,788 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 17

District 17 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Edd Houck (incumbent) 25,178 56.00%
Republican Chris Yakabouski 19,754 43.90%
Scattering 36 0.10%
Total votes 44,968 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 18

District 18 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Louise Lucas (incumbent) 20,260 98.50%
Scattering 311 1.50%
Total votes 20,571 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 19

District 19 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Robert Hurt 29,735 75.70%
Independent Sherman Witcher 9,488 24.20%
Scattering 46 0.10%
Total votes 39,269 100.0%
Republican hold

District 20

District 20 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Roscoe Reynolds (incumbent) 30,365 63.00%
Republican Willis Jeffery Evans 17,804 36.90%
Scattering 60 0.10%
Total votes 48,229 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 21

District 21 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John S. Edwards (incumbent) 22,282 98.20%
Scattering 416 1.80%
Total votes 22,698 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 22

District 22 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph K. Smith 21,193 50.80%
Democratic Michael Breiner 20,452 49.00%
Scattering 112 0.20%
Total votes 41,757 100.0%
Republican hold

District 23

District 23 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Stephen Newman (incumbent) 20,269 97.20%
Scattering 583 2.80%
Total votes 20,852 100.0%
Republican hold

District 24

District 24 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Emmett Hanger (incumbent) 23,896 65.40%
Democratic R. David Cox 9,757 26.70%
Libertarian Arin Sime 2,857 7.80%
Scattering 46 0.10%
Total votes 36,556 100.0%
Republican hold

District 25

District 25 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Creigh Deeds (incumbent) 33,339 98.80%
Scattering 408 1.20%
Total votes 33,747 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 26

District 26 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mark Obenshain (incumbent) 25,955 70.40%
Democratic Maxine Hope Roles 10,862 29.50%
Scattering 47 0.10%
Total votes 36,864 100.0%
Republican hold

District 27

District 27 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jill Vogel 24,960 48.40%
Democratic Karen Schultz 24,301 47.20%
Independent Donald Marro 2,170 4.20%
Scattering 90 0.20%
Total votes 51,521 100.0%
Republican hold

District 28

District 28 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Richard Stuart 21,496 50.60%
Democratic Albert C. Pollard 20,896 49.20%
Scattering 74 0.20%
Total votes 42,466 100.0%
Republican hold

District 29

District 29 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Charles J. Colgan (incumbent) 21,010 54.10%
Republican Robert Fitzsimmonds 17,766 45.80%
Scattering 53 0.10%
Total votes 38,829 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 30

District 30 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Patsy Ticer (incumbent) 20,853 95.20%
Scattering 1,051 4.80%
Total votes 21,904 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 31

District 31 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mary Margaret Whipple (incumbent) 23,380 82.60%
Independent Samuel Burley 4,676 16.50%
Scattering 241 0.90%
Total votes 28,297 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 32

District 32 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Janet Howell (incumbent) 28,089 97.20%
Scattering 818 2.80%
Total votes 28,907 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 33

District 33 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Mark Herring (incumbent) 27,784 56.90%
Republican Patricia Phillips 20,994 43.00%
Scattering 55 0.10%
Total votes 48,833 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 34

District 34 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Chap Petersen 25,513 55.30%
Republican Jeannemarie Devolites Davis (incumbent) 20,490 44.40%
Scattering 102 0.30%
Total votes 46,105 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 35

District 35 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dick Saslaw (incumbent) 16,856 77.90%
Independent Mario Palmiotto 4,532 21.00%
Scattering 238 1.10%
Total votes 21,626 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 36

District 36 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Toddy Puller (incumbent) 21,441 96.30%
Scattering 814 3.70%
Total votes 22,255 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 37

District 37 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ken Cuccinelli (incumbent) 18,602 50.00%
Democratic Janet Oleszek 18,510 49.80%
Scattering 73 0.20%
Total votes 37,185 100.0%
Republican hold

District 38

District 38 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Phillip Puckett (incumbent) 28,869 99.30%
Scattering 191 0.70%
Total votes 29,060 100.0%
Democratic hold

District 39

District 39 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic George Barker 19,892 50.90%
Republican Jay O'Brien (incumbent) 19,131 49.00%
Scattering 41 0.10%
Total votes 39,064 100.0%
Democratic gain from Republican

District 40

District 40 election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William C. Wampler Jr. (incumbent) 33,524 99.40%
Scattering 214 0.60%
Total votes 33,738 100.0%
Republican hold

Notes

  1. A majority of 20 is also possible as the Lt. Gov. of Virginia holds a tie-breaker vote.
  2. Democrats flipped one seat in a special election.

References

  1. "Virginia State Senate elections, 2007". ballotpedia.org. Retrieved 2025-11-29.
  2. "Historical Elections Database". historical.elections.virginia.gov. Retrieved 2025-11-29.