NORFOLK, Va. — Republican Danny Diggs has officially beat out Democratic incumbent Monty Mason in the hotly-contested Virginia Senate District 24 race.
As of 3 p.m., Diggs is leading Mason 51 to 49%. The two are separated by just over 1,000 votes.
The results don't factor in provisional ballots and post-election votes, which are mailed ballots postmarked by Election Day and can be received up until noon Monday, Nov. 13. Because of this, there are still potentially hundreds of votes yet to be counted.
"For those of you who voted for me, I am eternally grateful for your trust," Diggs said in a statement shortly after AP called the race. "As Sheriff, I worked for everyone, not just the individuals who got me elected. And for those of you who did not support me, know that I will advocate and fight for you. I cannot wait to get to work to cut taxes, put parents first, and make our community safer!"
Diggs commended Mason's resilience in what he described as a "tough race."
“This has been an extremely hard fought election and things are coming down to the wire,” Mason wrote in a statement late Tuesday night. “At this time, it appears like the race is too close to call, but we will continue to tally votes as they come in and look forward to having a final result.
Late Wednesday afternoon, Mason officially conceded the race, saying it's "been the honor of my lifetime to serve the people of the Peninsula.
“I congratulate Mr. Diggs on a hard fought win and wish him the best of luck in his service to the people of the 24th district. We have our differences, but I believe in my heart that he wants what is best for his community - just like I have for the last ten years, and will continue to everyday in the future," Mason wrote in a statement.
Despite the nail-biter race being too close too call Wednesday morning, in a statement, Diggs claimed victory in the election.
"I could not have done this without each and every one of you," Diggs wrote. "Thank you to God, thank you to my family, and thank you to my team for getting me to where I am today."
Leading up to Election Day, the outcome in Virginia's 24th District was widely seen as pivotal for determining which party controls the Virginia Senate, and ultimately, the General Assembly. But even without this race being called, Democrats are poised to maintain their majority in the Senate.
Both campaigns combined surpassed $5 million in contributions, the highest for a state Senate race within the greater Hampton Roads area.
Diggs largely campaigned on prioritizing public safety and Gov. Glenn Youngkin's "parents matter" education push. He also expressed support for Youngkin's proposed ban on abortion at 15 weeks into pregnancy.
Before running for the Virginia Senate, Diggs served as the York-Poquoson Sheriff for more than two decades.
Mason was first elected to the Virginia Senate in 2016 after serving two terms in the House of Delegates representing the 93rd District. He largely positioned himself as a moderate willing to work with Republicans on key legislative items.
Hailing from Williamsburg, Mason was first elected to the State Senate in 2016 after serving two terms in the House of Delegates representing the 93rd District.
On the campaign trail, he largely positioned himself as a moderate willing to work with Republicans on key legislative items. According to his legislative aides, 10 of the 17 bills passed by Mason were either patroned or co-patroned by a Republican.
He also said addressing behavioral health has been one of his key issues in office.
Encompassing roughly 147,000 registered voters across the Virginia Peninsula, the district is comprised of several localities, including parts of Newport News, York County, Williamsburg, Poquoson and James City County. This was the first election since new electoral maps came into effect.
Dating back to 2016, Democrats have won most of the statewide and federal elections within the new district's parameters. However, Youngkin defeated former Gov. Terry McAuliffe by three percentage points in the 2021 gubernatorial election.