RICHMOND, VA (AP) – One of two special elections has been announced to fill Virginia Senate seats vacated by newly elected U.S. House members. State Sens. John McGuire and Suhas Subramanyam landed the congressional seats on Election Day, and Monday, Senate President Pro Tempore L. Louise Lucas said the election to replace Subramanyam will happen Jan. 7.
Senate Democrats have a narrow 21-19 majority, making the special elections key to the party’s efforts to preserve a majority in both chambers. Democrats in Loudoun County, home to Subramanyam’s district, said in a press release last Wednesday that local party members would vote for their candidate on Nov. 16. State Del. Kannan Srinivasan, who was elected last year to represent the district in the House of Delegates, and former Del. Ibraheem Samirah, said in statements to The Associated Press that they would seek the Democratic nomination to succeed Subramanyam. Former Loudoun County Commonwealth’s Attorney Buta Biberaj also informed the AP that she would run to be the party nominee.

As reported by the Richmond Times-Dispatch, multiple Republicans have announced their interest in McGuire’s seat, including former state Sen. Amanda Chase and her former staffer, Shayne Snavely. Duane Adams, a Louisa County board supervisor, and Jean Gannon, a longtime Republican activist, have also announced their candidacies. Virginia GOP Chairman Rich Anderson told the AP by email that the local legislative committee in each district will select the method of nomination, which will be run by the local Republican Party.