Virginia 2023 election results: Democrats projected to flip General Assembly, in Youngkin defeat

Tuesday was Election Day in Virginia and the entire General Assembly was up for grabs.

The state Legislature is currently split between the Democratic-led Senate and the Republican-led House of Delegates, but ABC News reports that the Associated Press has called the Senate and House for Democrats -- a major blow to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin's agenda.

A Democratic General Assembly will almost certainly block Youngkin's push for a 15-week ban on abortions, with exceptions for rape, incest and the life of the mother, which the GOP believed to be a compromise on the issue, though Democrats said it could lead to more extreme restrictions.

Youngkin was a major booster for Republican candidates in the legislative elections, hoping to flip the assembly, and made his abortion proposal a major part of his pitch to voters.

But state Democrats, hoping support for abortion access will be a motivating issue, argued that conservatives would go further in limiting abortion if they gained control of the entire state government.

According to the Virginia Department of Elections, 789,704 residents cast their ballots through early voting, including mail-in and in-person ballots.

Both parties have heavily campaigned on abortion and education.

Political observers say the results will also influence Youngkin's future, given his heavy involvement in the races.