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VA House Speaker Calls for New Blood After Democratic Gains

House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox (R-VA)
official photo
House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox (R-VA)

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Virginia House Speaker Kirk Cox says new blood is needed to lead Republicans after the GOP lost its two-decade old majority in the House of Delegates.

Cox said in a letter to fellow Republicans on Wednesday that he won't seek a leadership post when the caucus meets later this month.

Republicans are set to pick party leaders after Democrats took control of the House and Senate for the first time in more than two decades in Tuesday's legislative elections.

Cox has served three decades in the House and spent one term as speaker. He won a hard-fought race against a well-funded Democrat this year.

Tuesday was the third election in a row that Virginia Democrats have made significant gains since President Donald Trump was elected.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.