Virginia’s 62nd and 63rd House of Delegates Districts remain in Republican hands even after last Tuesday’s blue wave swept the commonwealth.
In the 62nd District, which inlcudes, Greene and Madison counties and parts of Culpeper and Orange counties, Republican Karen Hamilton bested Democrat Sara Ratcliffe. Hamilton earned 59% of the nearly 36,000 votes cast to Ratcliffe’s 40%.
Hamilton was a structural engineer before focusing on homeschooling her children and running her small business in Orange.
She is the wife of Cameron Hamilton, who served as acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for fewer than four months this year after breaking with the White House and telling lawmakers he did not support dismantling the agency. Cameron Hamilton previously contested the 2024 Republican primary for the 7th Congressional District, finishing second with 37.2% of the vote behind Derrick Anderson’s 45.2%.
“I’m deeply grateful to the voters for putting their trust in me. This victory belongs to our community — the volunteers, neighbors, and families who believed in fighting for the values that made our nation great. As your Delegate, I promise to listen, work hard, and do my best every day to represent you well in Richmond. Tonight we celebrate — but tomorrow, we get to work. The horse is prepared for battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord. Proverbs 21:31. The next two years will be a battle, but I am ready,” Hamilton posted on Facebook Tuesday evening after her victory was announced.
Karen Hamilton will fill Republican Nick Freitas’ seat in the Virginia House of Delegates next year.
Freitas opted not to run for reelection, saying he did not intend to become a career politician.
“I am someone that believes that serving elected office is not necessarily supposed to be a lifelong profession,” Freitas said in a post on X.
Freitas “fully and enthusiastically” endorsed Karen Hamilton.
“You’ve never had to ask Karen to fight for what she believes,” Freitas said. “I just think she will be an incredible representative in a time where we need people that are not just going to show up and vote the right way, but actually advocate for the things that we believe.”
Karen Hamilton will be joined in the House by Republican Phil Scott, who was reelected to a second term representing the neighboring 63rd District last Tuesday. Scott claimed 56% of the 37,000 votes cast to Democratic challenger Forrest Miller’s 43%.
The 63rd District covers parts of Orange County and Spotsylvania County.
“Thank you to everyone who helped me across the finish line,” Scott posted on Facebook Tuesday night. “Unfortunately, we have a long road ahead of us, and I am going to fight tooth and nail for our District. Our District has the duty to fight the radical left in Virginia. Tonight was disappointing but hope is not lost. We stay, we fight, we do everything in our power to preserve the Virginia Way.”
Source: www.dailyprogress.com