Now that primary results are in, the battle for control of the legislature begins in earnest ahead of the Nov. 7 general election.

Everything from abortion to clean energy, state taxation rates, gun safety and early voting will be at stake as Democrats and Republicans each seek to gain a crucial majority to determine policy, according to party officials.

Black candidates will be on the front lines in this power fight and are expected to set modern records for the number that will be sworn in when the next session convenes in January 2024.

According to Richmond Sen. Lamont Bagby, chair of the General Assembly’s Legislative Black Caucus, the 21-member Caucus of 2023 anticipates growing to at least 28 members in the next session, a seven-seat gain that would include six new House members and one additional senator.

And the total could increase, depending on the outcome of all 50 House and Senate races in which Black candidates are running. At least one member who lost in 2021 is unopposed, while two others are in competitive races with good chances to win.

In the 100 House districts, a record 38 races will feature Black candidates.

With 13 Black candidates unopposed and another nine expected to prevail in districts that are rated as being favorable to them, the House is virtually assured of having a record 23 Black members, up from the previous peak of 18 in 2022.

The total would include incumbent Delegate A.C. Cordoza, the lone Black Republican in the legislature. He is favored to win over Black Democratic challenger Jarris Taylor in the 86th District in the Hampton-York County area and secure a fresh two-year term.

In the 40 Senate districts, there are 12 Black candidates running for seats, with at least six assured of winning either because they are unopposed or face opponents with less funding and name recognition.

The last time the General Assembly had six Black senators was 1869, the first Reconstruction session, and all were Republicans, as Democrats at the time backed slavery and fomented the Confederacy.

Six also would be the largest number of senators since the 1965 Voting Rights Act banned state efforts to keep Black voters from casting ballots.

Other Black candidates, including two former Caucus members, have chances to pull out wins in seven competitive House races and the one competitive Senate contest, all of which will be a key to determining which party will gain the majority in each house.

One top competitive race is in the Petersburg area, where newcomer Kimberly Pope Adams is aiming to unseat first-term incumbent Republican Delegate Kim Taylor, who pulled off her own upset two years ago against then-Delegate Lashrecse Aird.

Another competitive House race is in the Fredericksburg area. There, former Delegate and Caucus member Joshua G. Cole is battling to win the 65th House District seat. He is facing off against Republican Peter Lee. A Cole victory would add a seat to the Democratic side.

In the Suffolk-Chesapeake area, former Delegate Nadarius Clark, is pursuing a return to the legislature as the House member for the 84th District, a tight race is expected. Mr. Clark also would boost Democratic numbers if he can defeat Republican Michael Dillender.

Separately, Democrat Michael Feggens is seeking to unseat first-term incumbent Republican Delegate Karen Greenhalgh in the

97th House District, which covers a portion of Virginia Beach. She upset then Delegate Clark two years ago, and Mr. Feggans is hoping to return the seat to Democratic hands.

Also, Democrat Travis Nemhard is seeking to gain another seat for the party in Prince William County, but must beat Republican Ian Lovejoy in the competitive 22nd House District to do it.

Democrat Mary Person is pursuing a win in the Republican-leaning 83rd House District. She is challenging another first-term incumbent, Republican Otto Wachsmann.

Finally, Karen L. Jenkins, wife of Democratic Delegate Clinton L. Jenkins, is making a bid for the 89th House District seat covering portions of Chesapeake and Suffolk. She is running against Republican Baxter Ennis for the open seat in a competitive district.

Her husband is bidding to become the seventh Black senator in campaigning for the 17th Senate District seat that covers portions of Chesapeake and Portsmouth. To win, Delegate Jenkins must defeat Republican Delegate Emily Brewer, who also is seeking to move to the upper chamber.

Winners and all

Meanwhile, Ms. Aird is favored to win the 13th District Senate seat in the Petersburg, Hopewell and Henrico County area after walloping incumbent Democratic Sen. Joseph D. Morrissey in the Democratic primary.

In the Richmond area, the number of Black legislators already is expected to double from three to seven. Among them is Ms. Aird, the front-runner against her two rivals in November, Republican Eric Ditri and independent Daniel Muniz, in a Senate district that the Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP) rates as majority Democratic.

Black newcomers who are anticipated to win Richmond area House seats include Debra Gardner, 76th House District in Chesterfield County; City Council President Michael J. Jones, 77th House District in Richmond and Chesterfield; Rae Cousins, 79th House District in Richmond; and Destiny LaVere Bowling, 80th House District in Henrico County.

They would join two returning incumbents, Delegate Delores L. McQuinn, 81st House District in Chesterfield, Henrico and Charles City counties, and state Sen. Lamont Bagby, 14th Senate District in Richmond and Henrico. Both are unchallenged in November. The third Black incumbent, Delegate Jeffrey M. Bourne, didn’t seek re-election.

The Northern Virginia delegation to the House is expected to have eight Black delegates, in- cluding three newcomers who are unopposed in November: Adele McClure, 2nd District, Karen Keys-Gamarra, 4th District; and Rozia Henson, 19th District.

The five Black incumbents anticipated to return include Delegate and House Democratic Caucus Chairwoman Charnielle L. Herring, 4th District; Delegate Michelle Maldonado, 20th District; Delegate Candi M. King, 23rd District; Delegate Luke Torian, 24th District; and Delegate Briana Sewell, 25th District.

The delegation also is anticipated to include a Black senator, former Delegate Jennifer Carroll Foy of Prince William County, who ran for governor in 2021. She is on track to win in the 33rd Senate District against her Republican opponent, Mike Van Meter. VPAP rates the district as strongly Democratic.

Challenging deep pockets and the establishment

Hampton Roads also will have at least seven Black House members, including newcomer Bonita Anthony, 92nd District of Norfolk and Chesapeake; and former Delegate Alex Q. Askew, 95th District in Virginia Beach. Both are unopposed.

The delegation also will include five Black incumbents, Delegate Marcia Price, 85th District in Newport News; Delegate Jeion Ward, 87th

District in Hampton; Delegate and Minority Leader Don Scott, 88th District in Portsmouth; C.E. “Cliff” Hayes Jr., 91st District in Portsmouth; and Delegate Jackie H. Glass, 93rd District in Norfolk.

The delegation will include four Black state senators, with the addition of outgoing Delegate Angelia Williams Graves, who is favored to win the 21st Senate District seat in Norfolk. VPAP rates the district strongly Democratic. Her opponent is an independent Black candidate, Giovanni Dolmo.

The three incumbent senators anticipated to return include Sen. Aaron Rouse, 20th District in Virginia Beach; Sen. Mamie E. Locke, 23rd District in Hampton-Newport News; and Sen. L. Louise Lucas, 18th District in Portsmouth-Chesapeake area.

Sen. Lucas defeated a Senate colleague, Sen. Lionell Spruill Sr., in a primary contest June 20 to gain the Democratic nomination.

Other Black candidates who are unopposed for House seats include newcomer Kristina Callsen, 54th District in the Charlottesville area and incumbent Delegate Sam Rasoul, 38th District in Roanoke.

Meanwhile, another five Black Senate candidates are facing uphill climbs in their races against incumbent Republicans in districts rated as pro-GOP – Jade Harris, 3rd District; Trish Boyd-White, 4th District; Myra Payne, 19th District; Jolicia Ward, 25th District; and Pam Garner, 26th District.

That also is the case for six more Black Democrats who are running for House seats against established and well-funded Republicans in districts favoring the GOP, according to VPAP.

Those candidates are Esther Nizer, 34th District; Stephanie Clark, 37th District; Gregory Maxwell, 39th District; Leonard B. Lacey, 64th District; Stephen Miller-Pitts, 75th House District; and Charlena Jones, 100th House District.

Another Black candidate facing an uphill climb is Republican Paul Lott, who is making a longshot run against incumbent Democratic Delegate David Reid in the 28th House District in Loudoun County.