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Special elections in Virginia today will decide if Democrats can maintain their slim majority in the state legislature, which they have used to challenge Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin's plans. Republicans are hoping for a couple of longshot wins. WAMU's Margaret Barthel reports.
MARGARET BARTHEL, BYLINE: Virginia Democrats just narrowly control the general assembly. The House of Delegates and the Senate could each end up in a tie if Democrats lose a seat. And in the Senate, an even split would mean the Republican lieutenant governor would have a tie-breaking vote on bills. The focus is on two seats in Loudoun County in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Democrats won about 60% of the vote there in recent elections, but Republicans hope to turn that around. Tumay Harding is the GOP nominee for state Senate. She says she's fighting, quote, "far-left madness," wants to keep transgender students out of girls' bathrooms and sports and opposes localities adopting immigrant sanctuary policies.
TUMAY HARDING: My main concern is keeping everyone's children and communities safe. And it just boils down to that.
BARTHEL: She says she got into politics after she and other parents fought to have a teacher fired for sexually harassing students. Facing her is Democrat Kannan Srinivasan, who says he turned to politics after being refused Medicaid after an accident. He served in the House of Delegates and on the state Medicaid board. He says a Democratic Senate is needed to codify voting rights, same-sex marriage and abortion access, and he has experience.
KANNAN SRINIVASAN: I'm known for a brand of politics in Richmond that is getting things done.
BARTHEL: In expected low turnout election, the candidates are relying on their base to get to the polls. David Ramadan is a political science professor at George Mason University who formerly represented the area as a moderate Republican.
DAVID RAMADAN: There's some messaging on the left on abortion and women's rights. There's some messaging on the right on immigration and support of President Trump. But these are truly bare bone, door knocking, get out the vote campaigns.
BARTHEL: He's skeptical Republicans can pull off an upset given the district's blue history, but anything could happen. Heavy snow in the area could play a role, too.
For NPR News, I'm Margaret Barthel in Arlington, Virginia.
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