by Alanna Vagianos
Lashrecse Aird defeated the lone anti-abortion Democrat in the Virginia state Senate on Tuesday (6/20/23) night in a closely watched Democratic primary race, cementing a Democratic majority in the narrowly held chamber.
“I want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your support. It is truly a testament to our community and to our Commonwealth that I am standing here on this stage,” Aird said during her victory speech on Tuesday evening.
“As we set our sights beyond our victory tonight, I’m ready to hit the ground running,” she added. “In Richmond, I’ll be a firewall for our reproductive rights in the face of Republican extremists who think they have the right to make decisions about our own bodies.”
Abortion rights were a major issue in the Democratic primary race for Virginia’s 13th Senate District, as Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin pushes a 15-week abortion ban in the state. Aird, a former member of the House of Delegates, is openly pro-choice and spent much of her time on the campaign trail criticizing her opponent, incumbent Joe Morrissey, on his anti-abortion voting record.
Morrissey has said he would support a 15-week abortion ban – although he walked back those statements to HuffPost ahead of the election – and has a history of breaking with his party on abortion legislation.
Morrissey, once a self-described “pro-life” Democrat, has repeatedly voted against abortion rights legislation. Last year, he co-sponsored a 20-week abortion ban with one of his Republican colleagues, and earlier this year, he abstained from voting on a bill that would codify reproductive rights into the state constitution. Neither bill passed.
“Lashrecse Aird made this race about protecting abortion rights ― something the majority of Americans overwhelmingly agree on,” Jamie Lockhart, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Virginia, said in a statement.
“Aird was unapologetically pro-abortion rights and campaigned on stopping Gov. Youngkin from enacting an abortion ban in Virginia. The voters of SD-13 were loud and clear: They demand to be represented by an outspoken advocate for reproductive rights. This is a victory for SD-13 residents, for Virginians, and for health care access in our entire southeast region.”
The Democrats’ majority in the state Senate has been slim, 22-18, including Morrissey ― who often broke with his party to vote against abortion rights. Earlier this year, Virginia Democrats won a critical state Senate seat in a special election, giving Democrats the numbers to defeat Youngkin’s proposed 15-week ban last session successfully. Aird’s win solidifies that Democratic majority and likely ensures abortion care will remain protected in Virginia.
Since Roe v. Wade fell nearly a year ago, most of the Southeast has become an abortion care desert – making Virginia one of the last abortion rights strongholds. Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and more have all enacted near-total abortion bans in the Southeast. North Carolina, South Carolina and Florida will likely enact restrictions in the coming weeks. Virginia currently allows abortion through the second trimester and into the third if the pregnant person’s life is at risk. If Youngkin were to enact a 15-week abortion ban, it would have devastating consequences for the people of Virginia and those traveling from out of state to get care.
The primary race made national headlines due to its outsize impact on abortion access in the Southeast. It also divided the Democratic Party in Virginia, with the six Democratic women serving in the state Senate endorsing Aird ― and sharply criticizing their colleague Morrissey – in a March 29 statement. Aird also secured endorsements from Democrats in the Senate and the House of Delegates. Some Democrats did endorse Morrissey.
Aird will face off with Republican challenger Eric Ditri in the general election in November.
