RICHMOND, Va. β Virginia voters are expressing a range of emotions following Tuesday's historic Democratic victories, with some celebrating the results as a "ray of hope" while others worry about the future under new leadership.
The day after Democrats swept the state's top offices and flipped 13 House of Delegates seats, residents across the Commonwealth shared their thoughts on the election outcomes and what they hope to see from incoming leaders.
Mike Snodgress said he was excited about the results, viewing them as a sign of broader change needed across the country.
"Very very exciting, it's a ray of hope. I think Virginia kind of spoke for the rest of the nation and said there's a lot of stuff going on in our country that needs to change," Snodgress said.
An Arlington woman who asked not to be identified expressed enthusiasm about the Democratic victories.
"I'm thrilled that we got the governor, lieutenant governor, and the attorney general. The whole slate," she said.
However, not all voters shared that enthusiasm. Charles Geer, a Hanover resident and Republican, expressed concern about the election results.
"I hope we're not in trouble, but we'll see what happens," Geer said. "Because I'm a Republican and we lost everything."
Others, like Damien Blackwell, took a more neutral approach to the outcomes.
"I felt pretty good about it. It was a very important election," Blackwell said. "I think the community spoke and said they are looking for a lot of changes with this new administration that comes in."
When it comes to the issues voters want addressed, the economy topped the list of concerns. Geer identified it as his number one priority, while the Arlington woman highlighted rising costs across multiple sectors.
"To figure out how we're going to deal with the rising costs of medical care, the costs of food going up; There's a lot of hard things going on that they have to help alleviate," she said.
Snodgress called for more progressive policies and stronger action in Washington, expressing frustration with what he sees as Democratic inaction.
"More progressive policies and a bigger fight in Washington," Snodgress said. "I think that Democrats have been largely ineffective in the last year. A lot of handwringing, but not much action. And I think that now we've got a chance, we've got a little momentum and they need to do something constructive for the citizens."
Regardless of party affiliation, voters emphasized the importance of new leaders listening to constituents. Geer stressed the need for elected officials to engage directly with the people they serve.
"Pay attention to the people and listen. That's the biggest thing. Listen to the people, go out there and work with them. See what they're going through," Geer said.
Several residents also called for unity moving forward, despite political differences. Geer acknowledged the challenges but expressed hope for bipartisan cooperation.
"It's possible if both sides would talk but right now, no one is talking," Geer said.
Blackwell echoed those sentiments, encouraging all Virginians to support the new administration regardless of how they voted.
"I hope that we can see some positive results from this election. I also think that we can come together. Whether you voted for this person or didn't vote for this person, I think that we can all get behind them and support them in this new journey," Blackwell said.
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