It was just one vote, but it changed everything.
In November's election, Democrat Shelly Simonds beat incumbent Republican David Yancey, 11,608 votes to 11,607, to represent Virginia's 94 District in the state House of Delegates, the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project announced Tuesday. In the initial vote count, Yancey came out ahead by 10 votes.
With Simonds' win, the Virginia House of Delegates is now tied 50-50, meaning that for the first time in almost 20 years, Republicans are not in control. "Christmas came early for Virginia Democrats," Susan Swecker, chairwoman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, said in a statement. "Today's results should strike fear into the heart of every Republican on the ballot next year."