Virginia politics move fast. If you're looking for who won VA Senate races lately, the answer depends entirely on whether you mean the big federal seat in D.C. or the state-level power struggle in Richmond. Both saw massive shifts. Honestly, it’s been a whirlwind since the 2024 elections and the following 2025 state cycle.
Tim Kaine Secures the Federal Seat
In the high-profile November 2024 race for the United States Senate, Democratic incumbent Tim Kaine won re-election. He faced off against Republican challenger Hung Cao, a retired Navy captain who had the backing of Donald Trump.
Kaine didn't just win; he kept his undefeated streak in Virginia politics alive. He pulled in about 54% of the vote compared to Cao's 45%. It wasn't particularly close in the end, though Cao ran a hard-right campaign that focused heavily on national cultural issues and "woke" military policies.
Kaine basically stuck to his "boring is good" brand. He focused on healthcare costs and federal infrastructure spending. By winning, Kaine secured his third term in the U.S. Senate, ensuring that Virginia remains represented by two Democrats at the federal level, alongside Senator Mark Warner.
The State Senate: A Razor-Thin Margin
Now, if you’re asking about the Virginia State Senate—the folks who meet in Richmond—the story is much more about a narrow, grinding power play.
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Right now, in early 2026, Democrats hold the majority. But barely. We're talking a 21-19 split.
Every single seat in the State Senate was up for grabs back in November 2023. Democrats managed to flip the chamber then, and they’ve successfully defended that control through several high-stakes special elections in 2024 and early 2025. One of the most critical wins was Aaron Rouse in the 22nd District, a seat that has become a symbol of how Virginia’s "purple" suburbs are leaning blue.
Recent Special Elections and Vacancies
Politics in the Commonwealth never really stops. Just this past year, in 2025, several shifts happened:
- Ghazala Hashmi won her race for Lieutenant Governor in the November 2025 elections. Because she was a sitting State Senator (District 15), her seat became vacant.
- Kannan Srinivasan moved from the House of Delegates to win a special election for the 32nd District State Senate seat.
- JJ Singh stepped in to fill House vacancies left by these upward moves.
These "musical chairs" moments are why people are often confused about who won. The faces change even when the party control stays the same.
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The New Trifecta in Richmond
As of January 2026, the political landscape in Virginia has shifted significantly. With Abigail Spanberger winning the 2025 Gubernatorial race, Democrats now have a "trifecta." They control the Governor’s mansion, the House of Delegates (where they hold a massive 64-36 lead), and the State Senate.
This is a big deal.
For the last few years, Governor Glenn Youngkin acted as a brick wall against Democratic legislation. Now, that wall is gone. The 21-19 majority in the Senate means Democrats can pass basically whatever they want, provided they stay unified. You've already seen them moving on things like:
- Protecting reproductive rights through constitutional amendments.
- Codifying same-sex marriage protections.
- Pushing forward on retail cannabis markets, which Youngkin previously blocked.
Why These Results Matter for 2026
You might think the dust has settled, but the 2024 and 2025 results set the stage for a massive 2026. Because Democrats hold such a slim lead in the Senate, every single vote in Richmond is a potential "nay" that could kill a bill.
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The biggest thing to watch right now is the redistricting amendment. Because Democrats won control of the legislature and the Governor's office, they are currently in the process of trying to redraw congressional maps. If they succeed, the 2026 midterm elections for the U.S. House of Representatives could look very different than they do today.
Basically, Tim Kaine’s win kept the federal status quo, but the state-level wins for Democrats in the VA Senate have completely flipped the script on how Virginia is governed day-to-day.
If you're keeping score at home:
- U.S. Senate: Tim Kaine (D) is the winner.
- VA State Senate: Democrats won the majority (21-19).
- Key Power Players: Scott Surovell (Senate Majority Leader) and Mamie Locke are the ones actually running the show in Richmond right now.
To stay ahead of the next shift, you should keep an eye on the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP). They track every cent of campaign finance, which is usually the best way to predict who will win the next "unwinnable" seat in the Senate. Watch the special election filings—in a 21-19 chamber, a single retirement or job change can flip the entire state's agenda overnight.