Dem incumbents get beat in Va. House

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Republicans gained at least three seats Tuesday to strengthen their grip on the House of Delegates, but lost an influential delegate who has been embroiled in a scandal.

Aided by a Republican sweep of the top three statewide offices, the GOP knocked off at least five Democratic House incumbents. The defeat of Del. Phil Hamilton, R-Newport News, and a Democratic win in an open seat formerly held by a Republican put the GOP's net gain at three with a handful of close races still to be decided.

Hamilton, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, lost to Democrat Robin Abbott. Hamilton is the subject of investigations by a House ethics panel and a federal grand jury into allegations that he arranged a $40,000-a-year job for himself at Old Dominion University as he steered hundreds of thousands of dollars in appropriations to the Norfolk school.

Democrats also won the seat vacated by former state GOP chairman Jeff Frederick when Luke Torian defeated Rafael Lopez in Prince William County.

But the GOP more than made up for those losses. Republican James Moorefield beat Del. Daniel C. Bowling in southwestern Virginia, and the GOP's Christopher Stolle ousted Del. Joseph F. Bouchard in Virginia Beach. Stolle is the brother of five-term Republican state Sen. Kenneth W. Stolle.

In Loudoun County, Republican Thomas Greason handily defeated Democratic incumbent David E. Poisson, and GOP challenger James M. LeMunyon beat Del. Chuck Caputo, D-Fairfax. Republican Richard Anderson also ousted Del. Paul F. Nichols in Fairfax County.

Three Democratic incumbents, Shannon Valentine of Lynchburg, Robert W. Mathieson of Virginia Beach and Margaret Vanderhye of Fairfax County, were in tight races late Tuesday night.

The GOP had seen its majority steadily shrink since peaking at 64 of 100 House seats after redistricting in 2001. Democrats had gained 11 seats in elections since then, leaving them just six shy of regaining the House majority they lost a decade ago.

Democrats hoped the momentum from President Barack Obama's victory in Virginia last year would carry over to this election, but it didn't pan out amid growing discontent with national Democrats and the sour economy.

The election's high stakes -- the winners will have a major say in redrawing legislative and congressional districts after the 2010 census -- resulted in more contested races than usual: 69. Eleven were for open seats. Fifty-eight incumbents, evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, faced challengers.

The nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project, watchdog of money in state politics, reported that the 2009 House election is on track to be the most expensive ever, eclipsing the $32.9 million spent two years ago. Candidates had spent $29.7 million through Oct. 21. Final numbers will not be available until January.

The 40-member Senate, controlled by Democrats, is up for election in 2011.