Some of the more contentious national races had yet to be called the morning after the midterm elections, but local voters have a pretty clear idea of how candidates and initiatives in the D.C. area fared. Here’s a recap of the most pivotal races in the DMV:
D.C.
Congressional delegate: Former At-Large D.C. Council member Robert White won 87% of the votes counted to become D.C.’s nonvoting delegate to congress. He’s the third person to hold the role. White stepped down from his seat on the D.C. Council on Monday after turmoil over a 1970 law that mandates any potential delegate cannot occupy a paid political position on the day they are elected.
Foie Gras: Voters passed an initiative to ban the production and sale of foie gras, a French delicacy produced by force-feeding ducks and geese, with 73% of voters backing the measure. The ban is expected to go into effect next July. After that, foie gras lovers will have to get their fix in Maryland and Virginia, where the dish remains legal.
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Mayor: Janeese Lewis George, a democratic socialist, cruised to an expected victory in the D.C. mayoral race, capturing 84% of the votes counted, according to unofficial results from the D.C. Board of Elections. She’ll be the first new mayor in 12 years, after Muriel Bowser decided not to seek reelection.
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Maryland
Governor: Gov. Wes Moore, the Democratic incumbent, won his second term, sailing to a smooth victory with 63% of votes, according to the Maryland State Board of Elections. Moore claimed victory in a rematch against Republican Dan Cox, whom he faced in the 2022 election. The governor has been frequently discussed as a potential presidential candidate in 2028. Moore has denied interest in higher office but fueled speculation as he traveled across the country to campaign for other Democrats.
Montgomery County: Democrat Will Jawando carried 78% of the vote to become the county executive of Maryland’s most populous county. Jawando, who currently serves on the county council, will be the first new county executive since 2018, succeeding Democrat Marc Elrich, who is term-limited.
Redistricting: Voters cleared the way for Maryland lawmakers to redraw the state’s congressional map, passing a constitutional amendment that changes a section of the state’s governing document that was used by a judge to throw out the last attempt at redrawing districts. The amendment, which garnered 60% of initial votes, clarifies that existing rules about boundaries only apply to state legislative districts, not congressional districts.
Virginia
U.S. Representatives: Virginia flipped one U.S. House seat Democratic with Elaine Luria winning 53% of the vote Tuesday night in the state’s 2nd Congressional District race.
As of Wednesday morning, races for the 5th and 1st District have yet to be called by the Associated Press, with less than a 10,000 vote margin in each race. Democrat Shannon Taylor has a slight lead in the 1st District, while Republican John McGuire III leads in the 5th District.
U.S. Senate: In one of the first races called on Tuesday night, Democratic Sen. Mark Warner took a quick win in his reelection bid, with 61% of the vote. The victory sends him into his fourth term representing the commonwealth.
Voting rights: People who have completed felony sentences will automatically have their voting rights restored when their incarceration ends, after voters passed a constitutional amendment Tuesday, with 56% of the vote, according to the Virginia Department of Elections. Currently, people with felony convictions who spent time in prison or jail have to petition the governor to restore their voting rights.
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