Virginia Sets Special Election Date

Governor Glenn Youngkin of Virginia announced on Tuesday that a special election will take place to fill a vacancy in the 11th Congressional District. This election is scheduled for September 9, following the passing of Democrat Jerry Connolly on May 21 after his battle with esophageal cancer.

Connolly, a longtime representative, had previously shared in late April that he would not run for reelection in 2026, choosing instead to focus on other endeavors in Northern Virginia, which is a suburb of Washington, D.C.

Already, the race to fill Connolly’s seat has attracted six Democratic candidates and two Republicans. The Republicans are facing an uphill battle, especially with the midterm elections approaching; they currently hold a narrow majority in the chamber, with 220 members to the Democrats’ 212.

This upcoming special election will mark the third of its kind this year in Virginia, a notable trend as there have already been two special elections in Florida to replace Republican representatives who resigned. Additionally, there is also a special election scheduled in Arizona on September 23 to fill the vacancy left by the late Democrat Raul Grijalva, who died in March.

In Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has announced a special election for November 4 to fill a seat left vacant after Democrat Sylvester Turner’s death. This has sparked some controversy among Texas Democrats, who feel that the delay in setting the election date was excessive.