Considering what could have happened, I’m actually pretty happy about tonight. If you’d have told me that the Democrats would only lose 5 or 6 seats in the House of Delegates after this better than expected performance by the GOP ticket statewide, I’d think you were insane.

Republican candidates for Supervisor in Spotsylvania County, including former Board Chairman and Senate candidate Chris Yakawhateverthehellitis, went down in defeat despite a dominant performance by the GOP ticket in Spotsy. They ran against the VRE, and it cost them.

Republicans candidates for Supervisor in Stafford County all won, giving control of the Board back to the GOP. Inmate #283921, I mean Paul Milde, got just over 50% of the vote with Irene Egan and Paul Ortiz splitting the rest, swell. Mark Osborne made things a little interesting in Falmouth, but this was always Susan Stimpson’s race to lose.

Commonwealth’s Attorney LaBravia Jenkins was reelected in Fredericksburg despite a rough performance from the Democratic ticket in the city.

Albert Pollard survived despite a challenger that inspired people to go around the 99th district stealing signs and yelling in people’s face. The closeness of this race will no doubt lead to teabaggers* patting themselves on the back, but Catherine Crabill performed far, FAR worse than other Republicans on the ballot in this district (Pollard will probably increase his lead when the rest of the precincts report in).

* also, thank you teabaggers for helping Democrats win a congressional seat in upstate NY for the first time since the mid-1800’s!

Steve Shannon for Attorney General:

Fairfax– Steve Shannon, candidate for Attorney General, today commended the Spotsylvania police department for their work in finding and charging 15 child predators in an Internet sting.

Spotsylvania’s sheriff, Howard Smith, announced today that 15 perpetrators had been caught in an online trap set by detectives. Detectives involved in the sting posed online as children aged 12-14. The adults charged include two men with ties to state public school systems.

“Spotsylvania’s police department is to be commended for their fast and thorough work in bringing these twisted individuals to court and making their community safer for kids,” Shannon said. “As these arrests show, Internet predators are often hiding right in front of our eyes, living in our towns and even working in our schools. When I’m Attorney General, I will make sure that our law enforcement officers have the training they need to conduct stings like the one in Spotsylvania, rooting out Internet predators, and bringing them to justice.”

Shannon’s campaign released a new TV ad highlighting his plan to combat Internet crimes against children in Virginia. Shannon’s full plan to prevent Internet crimes against children can be found on his website.

UPDATE: Law Enforcement endorsements for Shannon:

Virginia Police Benevolent Association
Fairfax Coalition of Police
Fairfax Deputy Sheriff’s Coalition
Virginia Professional Fire Fighters

Fred P. Newman, Sheriff, Washington County
Stan G. Barry, Sheriff, Fairfax City
H.S. Caudill, Sheriff, Tazewell County
Herald Holt, Sheriff, Roanoke County
Beth Arthur, Sheriff, Arlington County
J.T. Whitt, Sheriff, Montgomery County
Gabe A. Morgan, Sheriff, Newport News City
Bill Watson, Sheriff, Portsmouth City
Paul W. Higgs, Sheriff, Fredericksburg City
Stephen Bittle, Sheriff, Falls Church
Vernie W. Francis, Sheriff, Southhampton County
John Puckett, Sheriff, Scott County
Streve Draper, Sheriff, Martinsville
Robert J. McCabe, Sheriff, Norfolk City
W. Randolph Hamilton, Sheriff, Buena Vista City
Lenny Millholland, Sheriff, Winchester City
Vanessa Crawford, Sheriff, Petersburg City
Kevin Pittman, President, Fairfax Deputy Sheriff’s Coalition
Bobby Mathieson, Delegate and Former Virginia Beach Police Officer
Marshall Thielan, President, Fairfax Coalition of Police
Mike Scanlon, Vice President, Fairfax Coalition of Police
Dan Kalbacher, Executive Board Member, Fairfax Coalition of Police
Bob Horan, Former Commonwealth’s Attorney, Fairfax County
Ray Morrogh, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Fairfax County
Dennis Godfrey, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Washington County
Michael Doucette, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Lynchburg City
Joan Ziglar, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Martinsville City
Gregory Underwood, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Norfolk City
Paul B. Ebert, Commonwealth’s Attorney, Prince William County
Mike Mohler, President, Virginia Professional Fire Fighters
Robert Bragg, Vice President, Virginia Professional Fire Fighters, District 2
Michael Staples, Vice President, Virginia Professional Fire Fighters, District 3 and President, VPFF Arlington Local
Andrew Water, Vice President, Virginia Professional Fire Fighters, District 4
Ken Pravetz, Vice President, Virginia Professional Fire Fighters, District 6
Hanh Deniston, Past Secretary, MWAA

Twenty-one Republican and Independent elected officials have officially endorsed Jody Wagner for Lt. Governor over incumbent Bill Bolling. The “Republicans and Independents for Wagner” steering committee is led by Virginia Beach Mayor Will Sessoms and includes former State Sen. John Chichester, Fredericksburg Mayor Tom Tomzak, and Spotsylvania Co. Supervisors Benjamin Pitts & Gary Skinner.

Members of the Steering Committee include:

Robert Bloxom, Accomack – Former Delegate
Phillip Bradshaw, Isle of Wight – Supervisor
L. Preston Bryant, Jr., Lynchburg – Former Delegate
John Chichester, Fredericksburg – Former State Senator
Nancy Dowdy, Waynesboro – City Council
Gerald Duncan, Giles – Treasurer
Tim Kennell, Cumberland – Supervisor
Dr. Robert Lazo, Galax – City Council
Herbert Lightner, Highland – Sheriff
Alice Maitland, Brunswick – Treasurer
Larry Omps, Winchester – Former Mayor
Benjamin Pitts, Spotsylvania – Supervisor
H. Russell “Russ” Potts, Jr. Winchester – Former Senator
Ron Rordam, Blacksburg – Mayor
Will Sessoms, Va. Beach – Mayor
Gary Skinner, Spotsylvania – Supervisor
Lorie Smith, Waynesboro – City Council
Tom Tomzak, Fredericksburg – Mayor
Katherine Waddell, Richmond – Former Delegate
Barclay Winn, Norfolk – City Council
Randy Wright, Norfolk -City Council

Rep. Rob Wittman will be tough to beat next year in this still gerrymandered congressional district, but Democrats are off to a surprisingly strong start. Krystal Ball has been very active, appearing at events like Netroots Nation in Pittsburgh, PA and The Young Turks.

Meanwhile, Scott Robinson announced several key endorsements this weekend from up and down the 1st district:

• Phil Forgit – Former Congressional Candidate and James City County Democratic Committee Member
• Cynthia Burton -Shackleford – Mathews County Democratic Committee Chair
• Doug Ferguson – Spotsylvania County Democratic Committee Co-Chair, Member of the 1st Congressional District committee
• W.T. Scott – Richmond County Democratic Committee Chair
• Travis Moskalski – King William County Democratic Committee Chair
• Sandy Duckworth – Stafford County, Former Fairfax County Board of Supervisors member
• Hon. Jim Long – Northumberland County Board of Supervisors Member and Northumberland Democratic Party Committee Chair
• Dick Toye – Former Spotsylvania County Democratic Committee Chair
• Bud Ward – Mathews County Democratic Party Committee Member, Member of the 1st Congressional District committee
• Hon. Walter Ball – Richmond County Board of Supervisors
• Norm Mosher – Former Lancaster County Democratic Committee Chair
• Dick Saxer – Former Northumberland Democratic Committee Chair