Democrats’ takeover of both the House and the Senate for the first time in years shows that Republicans will need to retool if they want to be more competitive with suburban voters, said Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science and international affairs at the University of Mary Washington. “The messaging that Republicans used 10 years ago doesn’t work nearly as effectively in the more diverse Virginia of today,” he said. “Think about gun control. Republicans were out of step and they paid a price for it.”

Cole’s win helps flip House of Delegates for Democrats (Free Lance-Star)