For nearly 400 years, the Speaker of the Virginia House was a white man. Then, in 2020, the first woman led the chamber.
The results of Tuesday's election mean some big leadership changes in Virginia, as Democrats take over both chambers of the state's General Assembly. And in the Virginia House, it appears that more history will be made with the new cohort.
In January, Don Scott, delegate from Portsmouth, is poised to make history as the first Black Speaker of the House.
"I'm so very grateful I get to be one of the people to help continue to move the Commonwealth forward," Scott said. "This is the cradle of the confederacy and to see a person like me would have the opportunity to play this role in our history, it's amazing. And I'm very prayerful and grateful to be in this position."
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He's served as the minority leader since 2022, and has served as a state delegate since 2020, the Virginian-Pilot reports.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, two lawmakers -- celebrating Democratic wins together Tuesday night -- are vying to become the next majority leader: Mamie Locke from Hampton and Scott Surovell from Fairfax County.
With redistricting and retirements, some of Northern Virginia's most powerful and influential lawmakers are now gone. There are concerns that the region's influence in Richmond could suffer as a result.
"There is definitely a seniority shift away from NoVA downstate," said Fairfax County Board chair Jeff McKay.
He'll be working to develop relationships with those key lawmakers from outside Northern Virginia, hoping to convey the region's importance and impact.
"For me, this is less about Democrats and Republicans," McKay said. "This is more about protecting our clout and making sure that Richmond knows NoVA drives the entire state's economy, and without NoVA, Virginia is a very different state."
He's hopeful Northern Virginia lawmakers will win key leadership roles and committee chair positions.
"It's clear, with all the retirements, that we've lost a lot of clout. But it's also clear we still have people in NoVA that can play leadership roles," McKay said.
Scott says he recognizes Northern Virginia's role as an economic engine, but is hoping for leadership from across the Commonwealth.
"I think Northern Virginia will make out very well as we move forward," he said.
Scott has told the Virginian-Pilot his priorities in office would include advocating for families and workers, including "paid family leave and sick time, expanded collective bargaining rights and an established $15 minimum wage," the Hampton-Roads paper reported.
House Democrats will meet this weekend to start choosing their leaders.
