ROANOKE, Va. – The primaries are over and the race to represent Virginia in the House of Delegates and Virginia Senate heats up.
According to Virginia Tech political experts, the race for Senate District 4, which encompasses Roanoke City, Salem, and parts of Roanoke and Montgomery counties, is one leaders like Governor Glenn Youngkin will watch.
They say that race could determine which party has a majority in the Senate in Richmond.
In the House of Delegates 47th District race, which includes Carroll, Floyd, Henry, and Patrick counties as well as Galax, Wren Williams beat Marie March with 67% of the vote.
“We hit the ground running the next day, but we do have to win in November,” Williams said.
Williams now faces Democrat Patty Quesenberry who is also seeking to represent Virginia in the House of Delegates.
Trish White-Boyd defeated her opponents, in the Senate District 4 race which represents parts of Roanoke and Montgomery counties, as well Roanoke City and Salem with 57% of the vote.
Now, she’ll battle it out against Republican State Senator David Suetterlein in November.
“It’s going to be a challenge, and we’re ready for it,” White-Boyd said. “This is going to be a trial run.”
Virginia Tech Political Professor Dr. Karen Hult says the Senate District 4 race is interesting to watch. Because of redistricting, voters in those areas typically vote Republican.
If Suetterlein wins, it could mean Republican control in Senate.
“The state Senate could be more tightly balanced between the parties before going in, it looks as though Republicans think they’re poised to maybe take the Senate back and that’s why state Senate District 4 could be a part of that equation,” Hult said.
While the General Election isn’t until November, Hult believes Republicans could win the seat.
“I think it would be to some extent, that the Republicans would be slightly favored because of Roanoke County, and parts of Montgomery County,” she said.