Advertisement

Header Utility Menu

  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Events

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

  • Login

Virginia Business

Mobile Menu

  • Issues
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Order a copy
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2022

Advertisement

Header Primary Menu

  • Issues
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • Issues Archive
  • Industries
    • Banking/Finances
    • Law
    • Real Estate
    • Economic Development
    • Education
    • Energy/Green
    • Federal Contracting
    • Government
    • Healthcare
    • Hotels/Tourism
    • Insurance
    • Ports/Trade
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Transportation
  • Regions
    • Central Virginia
    • Eastern Virginia
    • Northern Virginia
    • Roanoke/New River Valley
    • Shenandoah Valley
    • Southern Virginia
    • Southwest Virginia
  • Reports
    • Best Places to Work
    • Business Person of the Year
    • CEO Pay
    • COVID-19
    • Generous Virginians Project
    • Legal Elite
    • Most Influential Virginians
    • Maritime Guide
    • Site Locator
    • The Big Book
    • Virginia CFO Awards
  • Company News
    • For the Record
    • People
  • Opinion
  • Lists
  • Awards/Events
    • Women in Leadership
    • Diversity Leadership Series
    • Virginia 500
    • Legal Elite
    • CFO Awards
    • Big Book of Lists
    • 100 People To Meet
    • Best Places To Work
  • Virginia 500
    • Read The Issue
    • Order a copy
    • Buy an award plaque
    • Suggest execs for 2022

Home News Industries Government GOP delegates throw in hats for House speaker

GOP delegates throw in hats for House speaker

Gilbert, Kilgore say they're running for post

Published November 3, 2021 by Kate Andrews

Virginia State Capitol Building photo courtesy Virginia Tourism Corp.
Virginia State Capitol Building photo courtesy Virginia Tourism Corp.

Updated 8:30 p.m. Nov. 3

A few key delegates’ races have not yet been called, but with Republicans poised to regain majority control of the state House of Delegates, Southwest Virginia lawmaker Terry Kilgore has announced he will run for speaker if his party holds its seven-seat lead. Del. Todd Gilbert, the current House minority leader, confirmed Wednesday night he is running as well.

The House GOP caucus is expected to make its decision on the speakership on Nov. 14.

In a tweet just before 1 p.m. Wednesday, Kilgore wrote, “I am announcing my intention to run for speaker. It is time for fresh leadership and leadership that will keep and grow our new majority. Let’s get to work!”

The House Republican campaign chair for this year’s races, Kilgore represents the state’s 1st District near Cumberland Gap, a position he’s held since 1994. He is the twin brother of Jerry Kilgore, the state’s former attorney general and 2005 Republican nominee for governor, a race he lost to Democrat Tim Kaine.

Terry Kilgore unsuccessfully sought the minority leader position in 2019 after his party lost control of the House in a blue wave election, a leadership race won by Gilbert. The previous Republican speaker was former Del. Kirk Cox, who ran unsuccessfully for the GOP’s gubernatorial nomination this spring.

Del. Terry Kilgore, R-Cumberland Gap

The presumptive speaker — if the GOP takes control of the House — would be Gilbert, an attorney and representative from Shenandoah County. Gilbert said in a text message Wednesday that he is running for speaker.

Gilbert declared that the Republican Party had reclaimed the House in the early hours of Wednesday, flipping the needed six seats to snare a 51 to 49 majority, but at least four seats remained competitive and were not yet declared by The Associated Press as of late Wednesday afternoon.

Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, a Fairfax County Democrat who made history in 2020 as Virginia’s first female and Jewish speaker, said in a statement Wednesday that some races are still up in the air. “While the results across the commonwealth were not what we were hoping for last night, we have several races that will determine the majority that are still within the margins with votes still to be counted until Friday. We are going to make sure every Virginian’s voice is heard and every vote is counted.”

Absentee ballots can be accepted until noon on Friday, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. As of 1:30 p.m., the Virginia Public Access Project reported that with current margins, Democrats had held on to 48 delegate seats, losing seven to Republicans, who won 52 seats.

Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah

Democrats held a 55 to 45 majority in the House of Delegates the last two years, gains made over the past two election cycles since 2017, and with a Democratic-held Senate and Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam in office, the party was able to pass some of the state’s most progressive legislation in its history, including ending the death penalty, increasing the minimum wage, enacting a comprehensive voting rights policy and legalizing marijuana and casinos.

However, it remains to be seen how a prospective Republican majority in the House will impact some legislation that will require votes in 2022 and beyond, including allowing a commercial marijuana market and reaching a $15-per-hour minimum wage. The Virginia State Senate still has a 21-19 Democratic majority, with its next elections in 2023, but now Republican Lt. Gov.-elect Winsome Sears will hold the powerful Senate president seat, casting tiebreaking votes when necessary. It’s likely that the more moderate Democrats in the Senate could be convinced to support some Republican-backed measures, particularly with regard to jobs, education and economic development, so Sears could potentially decide numerous bills in the upcoming General Assembly session.

Another wrinkle: Virginia’s legislative districts will be redrawn by the Virginia Supreme Court after the bipartisan Virginia Redistricting Commission failed to come to an agreement earlier this fall. It’s possible that once new districts are drawn based on 2020 U.S. Census data, new elections for delegates’ seats will be held next year to reflect the new map. That matter is up to three federal judges, and depending on the outcomes, Virginia could see yet more changes in legislative power in another 12 months.

Subscribe to Virginia Business. Get our daily e-newsletter.

Related Stories

2021 gubernatorial candidates McAuliffe (L) and Youngkin

VCU poll shows McAuliffe with 9-point lead in governor’s race

Washington Post/GMU poll released Saturday indicates tighter race with Youngkin

Virginia Senate District 16. Photo courtesy Virginia Public Access Project

Lawmakers kill bill calling for transparency in redistricting commission

Bill would have required meetings to be advertised and accessible to public

McAuliffe has significant lead among Dems in latest poll

Wason Center poll also shows Del. Sam Rasoul leads lt. gov. race but 64% undecided

Trending

Caesars ups Danville casino investment to $650M

Axios to be sold to Cox Enterprises for $525M

Newport News apartments sell for $9.75M

SCC approves Dominion’s $9.8B offshore wind farm

Amazon opens new Chesapeake facility

Sponsored Stories

Creating An Urban Destination in Chesapeake

5 surprising facts employers should know about voluntary benefits

What Supply Chain Problems should you be planning for in 2023?

Advertisement

Advertisement

Trending

Caesars ups Danville casino investment to $650M

Axios to be sold to Cox Enterprises for $525M

Newport News apartments sell for $9.75M

SCC approves Dominion’s $9.8B offshore wind farm

Amazon opens new Chesapeake facility

Sponsored Stories

Creating An Urban Destination in Chesapeake

5 surprising facts employers should know about voluntary benefits

What Supply Chain Problems should you be planning for in 2023?

Get Virginia Business directly on your tablet or in your mailbox!

Subscribe to Virginia Business

Advertisement

Advertisement

Footer Primary Menu

  • virginiabusiness.com
  • Subscribe
  • Advertise
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Footer Secondary Menu

  • Industries
  • Regions
  • Reports
  • Company News
  • Events

Sign Up For Our Newsletter

Sign Up

LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Instagram Get Our App

Privacy Policy Cookie Policy

Footer Utility Menu

Copyright © 2022 Virginia Business. All rights reserved.

Site Maintained by TechArk