2003 Virginia Senate election

none The Virginia Senate election of 2003 was held on Tuesday, November 4, to elect the 40 members of the Virginia Senate. In the previous election in 1999, the Republican Party won 21 seats, while the Democratic Party won 19 seats. The general election saw Republicans flip 3 senate seats, maintaining and expanding their control of the Senate majority. 20 of the 40 seats up for election went uncontested by either major party. 38 of the 40 seats had an incumbent who ran and won re-election. No incumbent lost re-election. 2003 11 04 2003 Virginia Senate election 1999 2007 Virginia Senate election All 40 seats of the Virginia Senate 21 FF0000 Walter Stosch Republican Party (United States) January 13, 1998 12th 21 23Republicans gained two seats in special elections. 24 1▲ 615,991 55.77% Dick Saslaw Democratic Party (United States) January 10, 1996 35th 19 17 1 16 🔻1 456,236 41.30% #0015BC File:2003 VA Senate Election 01.svg 320px Results:#92C5DE Democratic hold #F48882 Republican hold #CA0120 Republican gain Virginia State Flag 1917.jpg 1999 Virginia Senate election 2007 legislative popular Delegate Stosch 1988.jpg Senator Saslaw 1988.jpg Walter Stosch Republican Walter Stosch Republican Majority Leader Background In 2001, Governor Jim Gilmore (R), in conjunction with the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate, both controlled by Republicans, completed constitutionally required redistricting after the 2000 census was completed. This was the first time in commonwealth history that Republicans controlled the redistricting process in Virginia.Skelley Geoffrey 2015-06-18 Virginia's Redistricting History: What's Past Is Prologue https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/virginias-redistricting-history-whats-past-is-prologue/ 2026-03-31 Sabato's Crystal Ball en-US This resulted in maps more favorable to the Republican Party in the Virginia Senate, the Virginia House of Delegates, and Virginia's United States Congressional District maps. The 2001 Virginia Gubernatorial election resulted in the victory of Mark Warner, flipping the office to the Democratic Party. Republicans concurrently flipped 12 seats in the 2001 Virginia House of Delegates election, resulting in a near-supermajority of 64% of seats for Republicans, just shy of the two-thirds supermajority needed to override gubernatorial vetoes. Therefore, this election along with the concurrent House of Delegates election would determine if Republicans would be able to override Governor Warner's veto power. If Democrats had a net gain of 1 seat in this election, Lt. Gov Tim Kaine, elected in 2001, would have served as the tie-breaking vote in a hypothetical 20-20 senate. Seats Changing Parties District 15: Open Seat previously held by Richard Holland, (D), won by Frank Ruff Jr. (R). District 34: Open Seat previously held by Leslie Bryne, (D), won by Jeanne Devolites (R). District 39: Open Seat previously held by Madison Marye, (D), won by Jay O'Brien Jr. (R). Closest Races Seats where the margin of victory was under 10% #E81B23 District 34: 5.63% (Gain) #E81B23 District 37: 6.69% #0015BC District 29: 9.36% Results Source:Search Past Elections Commonwealth of Virginia https://historical.elections.virginia.gov/search?df=2003&dt=2006&p=2&bq=false&coff%5B0%5D.i=9 2026-03-31 Commonwealth of Virginia Elections Database en Gains are determined based on the 1999 Virginia Senate election, not special election results in between. This explains why some races have an incumbent and a "gain" tag. Virginia's 1st Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Marty Williams (incumbent) 10,261 94.52% 595 5.48% 10,856 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 2nd Senate District, 2003 Democratic Party (United States) Mamie Locke (incumbent) 12,784 64.75% Republican Party (United States) Phil Bomersheim 4,805 24.34% Independent Party (United States) Joyce Hobson 2,116 10.72% 105 0.15% 19,744 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 3rd Senate district, 2003 election Republican Party (United States) Tommy Norment (incumbent) 21,309 65.53% Democratic Party (United States) Mary Minor 11,080 34.07% 131 0.40% 32,520 100.0 Virginia Republican Party Virginia's 4th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Bill Bolling (incumbent) 27,646 99.44% 155 0.56% 27,801 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 5th Senate District, 2003 Democratic Party (United States) Yvonne B. Miller (incumbent) 12,622 97.85% 277 2.15% 12,899 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 6th Senate district, 2003 election Republican Party (United States) Nick Rerras (incumbent) 15,771 61.70% Democratic Party (United States) Andrew A. Protogyrou 9,775 38.24% 14 0.05% 25,560 100.0 Virginia Republican Party Virginia's 7th Senate district, 2003 election Republican Party (United States) Frank Wagner (incumbent*) 12,694 59.02% Democratic Party (United States) Clarence A. Holland 8,737 40.62% 14 0.05% 21,507 100.0 Virginia Republican Party Virginia's 8th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Ken Stolle (incumbent) 13,641 96.88% 440 3.12% 14,081 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 9th Senate District, 2003 Democratic Party (United States) Benjamin Lambert (incumbent) 18,747 98.94% 201 1.06% 18,948 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 10th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) John Watkins (incumbent) 27,637 99.19% 226 0.81% 27,863 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 11th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Steve Martin (incumbent) 18,702 97.27% 524 2.73% 19,226 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 12th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Walter Stosch (incumbent) 22,497 98.35% 378 1.65% 22,875 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 13th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Fred Quayle (incumbent) 22,174 76.44% Independent (United States) Richard H. Ramsey Sr. 6,735 23.22% Write-In 99 0.34% 29,008 100.0% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 14th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Harry Blevins (incumbent*) 12,878 97.44% 338 2.56% 13,216 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 15th Senate district, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Frank Ruff (incumbent*) 27,288 99.82% Write-In 50 0.18% 27,338 100.0% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 16th Senate District, 2003 Democratic Party (United States) Henry L. Marsh (incumbent) 13,901 99.00% 141 1.00% 14,042 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 17th Senate district, 2003 election Democratic Party (United States) Edd Houck (incumbent) 21,324 59.25% Republican Party (United States) Robert G. Stuber 14,640 40.68% 27 0.08% 35,991 100.0 Virginia Democratic Party Virginia's 18th Senate district, 2003 election Democratic Party (United States) L. Louise Lucas (incumbent) 19,409 69.77% Republican Party (United States) Walter D Brown, III 8,383 30.13% 27 0.10% 27,819 100.0 Virginia Democratic Party Virginia's 19th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Charles R. Hawkins (incumbent*) 23,622 99.98% 5 0.02% 23,627 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 20th Senate district, 2003 election Democratic Party (United States) Roscoe Reynolds (incumbent) 27,699 67.76% Republican Party (United States) Thomas L Peterson 13,134 32.13% 43 0.11% 40,876 100.0 Virginia Democratic Party Virginia's 21st Senate District, 2003 Democratic Party (United States) John S. Edwards (incumbent) 21,349 99.92% 18 0.08% 21,367 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 22nd Senate district, 2003 election Republican Party (United States) Brandon Bell (incumbent**) 23,810 56.75% Democratic Party (United States) Stephen H. Emick 18,140 43.24% 6 0.01% 41,956 100.0 Virginia Republican Party Virginia's 23rd Senate district, 2003 election Republican Party (United States) Stephen Newman (incumbent) 26,446 64.07% Democratic Party (United States) Robert E Clarke 14,812 35.88% 21 0.05% 41,279 100.0 Virginia Republican Party Virginia's 24th Senate district, 2003 election Republican Party (United States) Emmett Hanger (incumbent) 25,548 71.74% Democratic Party (United States) Steven Sisson 10,028 28.16% 36 0.10% 35,612 100.0 Virginia Republican Party Virginia's 25th Senate District, 2003 Democratic Party (United States) Creigh Deeds (incumbent*) 25,015 98.39% 410 1.61% 25,425 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 26th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Mark Obenshain 26,771 67.91% Independent (United States) Rodney L. Eagle 12,457 31.60% Write-In 194 0.49% 39,422 100.0% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 27th Senate district, 2003 election Republican Party (United States) Russ Potts (incumbent) 26,152 58.18% Democratic Party (United States) Mark Herring 18,460 41.07% 335 0.75% 44,947 100.0 Virginia Republican Party Virginia's 28th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) John Chichester (incumbent*) 23,251 97.99% 478 2.01% 23,729 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 29th Senate district, 2003 election Democratic Party (United States) Charles J. Colgan (incumbent) 16,185 54.68% Republican Party (United States) David C Mabie 13,415 45.32% 1 0.00% 29,601 100.0 Virginia Democratic Party Virginia's 30th Senate District, 2003 Democratic Party (United States) Patsy Ticer (incumbent*) 18,633 95.38% 903 4.62% 19,536 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 31st Senate district, 2003 election Democratic Party (United States) Mary Margaret Whipple (incumbent) 23,015 69.39% Republican Party (United States) Kamal Nawash 10,053 30.31% 100 0.30% 33,168 100.0 Virginia Democratic Party Virginia's 32nd Senate district, 2003 election Democratic Party (United States) Janet Howell (incumbent) 21,252 56.70% Republican Party (United States) David Hunt 16,214 43.26% 13 0.03% 37,479 100.0 Virginia Democratic Party Virginia's 33rd Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) William C. Mims (incumbent) 27,818 97.27% 780 2.73% 28,598 100.00% Republican Party (United States) Virginia's 34th Senate district, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Jeannemarie Devolites Davis 22,690 52.75% Democratic Party (United States) Ronald F Christian 20,267 47.12% Write-In 58 0.13% 43,015 100.0% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 35th Senate District, 2003 Democratic Party (United States) Dick Saslaw (incumbent) 17,735 82.48% Independent (United States) C.W. Levy 3,537 16.45% Write-In 231 1.07% 21,503 100.0% Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 36th Senate district, 2003 election Democratic Party (United States) Toddy Puller (incumbent*) 16,637 55.42% Republican Party (United States) Chris Braunlich 13,373 44.54% 12 0.04% 30,022 100.0 Virginia Democratic Party Virginia's 37th Senate district, 2003 election Republican Party (United States) Ken Cuccinelli (incumbent*) 16,762 53.31% Democratic Party (United States) James E Mitchell, III 14,658 46.62% 23 0.07% 31,443 100.0 Virginia Republican Party Virginia's 38th Senate District, 2003 Democratic Party (United States) Phillip Puckett (incumbent) 30,255 99.81% 57 0.19% 30,312 100.00% Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 39th Senate district, 2003 Republican Party (United States) Jay O'Brien (incumbent*) 18,780 57.76% Democratic Party (United States) Greg Galligan 13,717 42.19% Write-In 19 0.06% 32,516 100.0% Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) Virginia's 40th Senate District, 2003 Republican Party (United States) William C. Wampler Jr. (incumbent) 27,826 99.91% 24 0.09% 27,850 100.00% Republican Party (United States) *Denotes incumbency due to special election victory prior to 2003 election **Denotes incumbency, however, changed district number in the 2003 election Notes References Category:2003 Virginia elections Category:2003 state legislature elections in the United States Category:Virginia Senate elections