1999 Virginia state elections
| Elections in Virginia |
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Virginia's 1999 state elections were held on November 2, 1999. Voters elected all 100 members of the
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 Charles 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...."[1]
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."[2]
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 (D) of Norfolk, was defeated by Republican Nick Rerras after 18 years in the Senate. In Fairfax County, 16-year veteran Jane Woods (R) was narrowly beaten by former U.S. Representative Leslie Byrne by just 37 votes out of over 30,000 cast.[3]
Election Results
Party abbreviations: D -
| District | Incumbent | Party | Elected | Status | 2003 Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1st
|
Marty Williams | Republican | 1995 | Reelected | Marty Williams (R) unopposed |
2nd
|
W. Henry Maxwell | Democrat | 1993 | Reelected | W. Henry Maxwell (D) 80.7% M. A. Rogers, Sr. (I) 19.3% |
3rd
|
Tommy Norment | Republican | 1991 | Reelected | Tommy Norment (R) 63.0% Lynwood Lewis (D) 37.0% |
4th
|
Bill Bolling | Republican | 1995 | Reelected | Bill Bolling (R) unopposed |
5th
|
Yvonne Miller
|
Democrat | 1988 | Reelected | Yvonne Miller (D) unopposed
|
6th
|
Stanley C. Walker | Democrat | 1971 | Defeated | Nick Rerras (R) 59.3% Stanley C. Walker (D) 40.7% |
7th
|
Ed Schrock | Republican | 1995 | Reelected | Ed Schrock (R) unopposed |
8th
|
Ken Stolle | Republican | 1991 | Reelected | Ken Stolle (R) unopposed |
9th
|
Benjamin Lambert | Democrat | 1986 | Reelected | Benjamin Lambert (D) unopposed |
10th
|
John Watkins | Republican | 1998 | Reelected | Alex McMurtrie, Jr. (I) 30.0%
|
11th
|
Stephen H. Martin
|
Republican | 1994 | Reelected | Stephen H. Martin (R) 64.6%W. S. Hastings, Jr. (D) 35.4% |
13th
|
Fred Quayle | Republican | 1991 | Reelected | Fred Quayle (R) 76.4% Richard H. Ramsey, Sr. (D) 23.2% |
17th
|
Edd Houck | Democratic | 1983 | Reelected | Edd Houck (D) 59.5% Robert G. Stuber (R) 40.5% |
18th
|
Louise Lucas | Democrat | 1991 | Reelected | Louise Lucas (D) 69.8% Walter D Brown, III (R) 30.1% |
20th
|
Roscoe Reynolds | Democratic | 1996 | Reelected | Roscoe Reynolds (D) 67.8% Thomas L Peterson (R) 32.2% |
22nd
|
Malfourd W. Trumbo | Republican | 1991 | Reelected | Malfourd W. Trumbo (R) unopposed[4] |
23rd
|
Stephen Newman | Republican | 1995 | Reelected | Stephen Newman (R) 64.1% Robert E Clarke (D) 35.9% |
24th
|
Emmett Hanger | Republican | 1995 | Reelected | Emmett Hanger (R) 74.3% Steven Sisson (D) 25.7%< |
26th
|
Kevin G. Miller | Republican | 1983 | Retired | Mark Obenshain (R) 67.9% Rodney L. Eagle (D) 31.9% |
27th
|
Russ Potts | Republican | 1991 | Reelected | Russ Potts (R) 58.2% Mark R. Herring (D) 41.1% |
29th
|
Chuck Colgan
|
Democratic | 1975 | Reelected | Chuck Colgan (D) 54.7%David C Mabie (R) 45.3% |
31st
|
Mary Margaret Whipple | Democratic | 1995 | Reelected | Mary Margaret Whipple (D) 69.4% Kamal Nawash (R) 30.3% |
32nd
|
Janet Howell | Democratic | 1992 | Reelected | Janet Howell (D) 56.7% David Hunt (R) 43.3% |
34th
|
Leslie Byrne | Democrat | 1999 | Retired | Jeannemarie Devolites (R) 52.8%Ronald F Christian (D) 47.1% |
34th
|
Dick Saslaw | Democratic | 1980 | Reelected | Dick Saslaw (D) 82.5% C.W. Levy (I) 16.4% |
36th
|
Toddy Puller | Democratic | 1999 | Reelected | Toddy Puller (D) 55.4% Chris Braunlich (R) 44.5% |
| 37th | Ken Cuccinelli | Republican | 2001 | Reelected | Ken Cuccinelli (R) 53.3% James E Mitchell, III (D) 46.6% |
39th
|
Jay O'Brien | Republican | 2002 | Reelected | Jay O'Brien (R) 57.8% Greg Galligan (D) 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:
References
- ^ University of Virginia, Center for Politics. Virginia Votes 1999: Reversal of a Century: How the Republicans Finally Took Over the Virginia General Assembly. [1]
- ^ University of Virginia, Center for Politics. Virginia Votes 1999: Reversal of a Century: How the Republicans Finally Took Over the Virginia General Assembly. [2]
- ^ University of Virginia, Center for Politics. Virginia Votes 1999: Reversal of a Century: How the Republicans Finally Took Over the Virginia General Assembly. [3]
- ^ "Virginia Elections Database » Search Elections".