Washington (CNN) – Democrats are celebrating an election victory in northern Virginia.
Democratic delegate David Marsden narrowly defeated Republican Steve Hunt Tuesday in a special election to fill the state Senate seat in Fairfax County that was formerly held by Republican Attorney General-elect Ken Cuccinelli. Marsden won by 317 votes out of more than 23,000 cast. The district had been in Republican hands for nearly two decades.
The victory comes after the GOP made major gains in Virginia in November's elections, highlighted by Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell's trouncing of Democratic opponent Creigh Deeds to win back the governor's office for the first time in 8 years.
Republicans did win the other state senate special election Tuesday, holding onto a seat in Virginia Beach.
As of next week, the GOP will control the state's top three positions and will hold a larger majority in the assembly. Thanks to their victory in Fairfax County, the Democrats will now have a 22 to 18 seat advantage in the state Senate.
The Democratic National Committee sent out an e-mail Wednesday morning touting the election victory in northern Virginia.
Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn
From CNN Politics
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The Republican holocaust has begun...
This is great news. I can't wait until we kick Eric Cantor out of office.
This is news???? Democrats have always had a stronghold on Northern Virginia.... an obvious result of that area's people being tied so closely to Big Government.
Go Virginia Dems! It is always nice to take a state seat held by the republicans for 2 decades. Maybe Virginia is the start of something big, and the party of fear and "No!" is a bit premature in their claim that they will take over everything.
Take that you members of the party of fear and hate.
This is very telling about Cuccinelli and the republican pary. The people who know the republican best, in his own back yard, do not want another republican.
Can't wait for the little children to ask, "Mommy, what's a Re-pub-li-can't?"
Wooohooooo... Let's go Dems... we can still get these nutty republicans outta there... In all 50 states... That needs to be our goal...
Am happy to see that people are not buying the hypocritical, irresponsible, radical actions by the republicans.
That people realize their obstruction, goal to destroy our president, win at any cost mentallity has put the survival of us and our country
on the back burner, as usual, making them a disgrace as to what
they were elected to do.
They do not give us credit for intelligence, the ability to see through
their attempts to further destroy our country.
This looks more to me like the removal of incumbents, no matter what party they were or are. Sign of things to come maybe ?
YEA!!! The ONLY reason why McConnell won Virginia was the SIMPLE and ONLY fact that Deeds ran a BAD CAMPAIGN..... Case and Point!!!
While McConnell came through the FRONT DOOR the democrats are coming through the BACK... Yes We Can!!
hmmm...
Now, where are all my GOPer buddies claiming that all elections going on across the country in the years 2009 through 2012 are all a karmic litmus test that shows what awful "soshulizt" heathen destroyers of Amurika Obama and the Dems are?
Cue crickets...
I thank you Northern Virginia, we need to hear some good news for a change.
And this is only the beginning. Wait until the mid-term elections. Republican's won't know what hit them. Maybe they could say it was Gods plan that they go down in flames.
Funny, the headline and led don't support the rest of the story.
Slowly I am starting to believe what Chairman Steele said. GOP's dream is too far to be met. All what they say about 2010, is just comforting themselves.
That's small potatoes, 2010 and the ouster of Pelosi, Reid and Barney Frank is what counts, to be follow up in 2012 by the removal of that light skin Negro now sitting in the White House.
How will the righties spin this huge loss?
This is just a sign of the beginning. The democrats will take back more and more seats this fall from the republicans. Jim Hall Kansas City, Missouri.
Congratulations, the Dems actually won something this year.
A win is a win.
Well, the Dems have to celebrate SOMETHING in Virginia since they have little else to be happy about.
Cnn – and you're happy about this? Haven't we seen enough of the "change," that democrats, or should I say "liberals," bring?
High taxes, favortism to minorities, apologizing to the world....etc..etc...everything that makes a country weak...
The Dems need to stay focused and get some work done!!!! The GOP is going to be back stronger than ever, so social issues need to be addressed before the wealthy and elite retake the WH and Congress.
Yea! a glimmer of hope this country might yet survive. a testament to the good sense of hopefully a majority of the American people who are beginning to see the republicrap party for what it is, the party that cares nothing for the people and everything about big business and big money. they are a bunch of whiny children throwing a tantrum because they can't believe we kicked them and their morally bankrupt philosophy to the curb where it so richly belongs.