WASHINGTON - The recently concluded election in Virginia has underscored the importance of running the table in competitive areas across the state for Republicans to achieve overall success at the ballot box. Despite the Democrats' loss in key swing districts, they managed to win full control of the general assembly.

In the 2021 election, Republicans were able to sweep most competitive areas, including three out of the four Biden-Youngkin state Senate districts and at least seven of the 11 Biden-Youngkin state House districts. However, Democrats were able to maintain a slim majority in the state Senate with a 21-19 margin and a 51-48 majority in the state House.

This narrow victory for the Democrats can be partly attributed to a new statewide map that provided them with a higher number of safer seats compared to the Republicans. Analysis of the 2021 vote revealed that Republican Glenn Youngkin was able to secure victory by appealing to pivotal groups of voters, such as suburban voters, college-educated voters, and Latinos in competitive areas.

Notably, several counties and districts in northern Virginia, the Richmond suburbs, Fredericksburg, and Hampton Roads voted for President Biden in 2020 and then switched their support to Youngkin in 2021.

Out of the 20 Senate districts and 48 House districts carried by both Biden in 2020 and Democrat Terry McAuliffe in 2021, Democrats emerged victorious in all of them, garnering an average of 67% of the vote in Senate districts and 76% in House districts. Conversely, the 16 Senate districts and 41 House districts carried by both Trump and Youngkin were won by Republicans, with an average of 67% of the vote in Senate districts and 73% in the House.

The Democrats' advantage in safer seats, including four in the state Senate and seven in the state House, played a crucial role in securing their control over the general assembly.

Despite losing in key swing districts, the Democratic candidates outperformed McAuliffe's performance in almost all districts and came close to, or even surpassed, Biden's 2020 vote totals. On the other hand, Republican candidates outperformed Trump but fell short in comparison to Youngkin's numbers in 75% of Senate and House districts.

The Supreme Court of Virginia approved new district maps for the 2021 election, created by two court-appointed experts from both major parties. The maps, unlike those drawn by state legislatures, did not prioritize protecting incumbents, which resulted in a significant number of retirements and incumbents being defeated in the primary earlier this year.

In the recent election, incumbents fared slightly better than they did in the primary, with two state senators and two state delegates losing their seats. Notably, Republican Siobhan Dunnavant in District 16 near Richmond and Democrat Monty Mason of Williamsburg were among the defeated incumbents. The race in District 82 between state Del. Kim Taylor and her Democratic opponent is yet to be called by the Associated Press.

Despite the loss in key swing districts, Virginia Democrats' ability to secure a majority in the general assembly showcases the importance of a favorable statewide map and strong performance in safer seats. This victory will undoubtedly shape the legislative agenda in the state for the foreseeable future.