State Sen. Dick Saslaw issued the following statement on the outcome of Tuesday;s midterm elections:

“Nearly three million Virginians made their voices heard via early vote, absentee vote, or in-person vote in the 2022 midterm elections. While many states are still counting ballots in the days and weeks to come, it is now apparent that the Republican hopes for a “red wave” have been dashed. I congratulate Don Beyer, Gerry Connolly, and Jennifer Wexton on their respective reelections to Congress. Additionally, Abigail Spanberger eked out a narrow but decisive win over a Trump-backed candidate. Overall, Democrats will maintain a 6-5 advantage in the Virginia delegation when the 118th Congress gavels in on January 3, 2023.

“Make no mistake about it, exit polls in many battleground states revealed that voters’ top concern was access to reproductive healthcare and the overturning of Roe v. Wade by a conservative majority of the Supreme Court earlier this year. As we continue to put the pandemic behind us, we have our work cut out for us. Rebuilding our economy, developing a skilled workforce needed for the future, and addressing learning loss will be our Democratic priorities during the upcoming General Assembly.”