Virginia Republicans use luck of draw to keep House
RICHMOND, VA.» The state’s Republicans cheered Thursday when their candidate won a state House of Delegates race by luck of the draw, having his name chosen first out of ceramic bowl.
But inside a conference room in Richmond’s Capitol Square, where the drawing was held, it was all agony of defeat and no joy of victory. That’s because Republican David Yancey skipped the drawing, while Democratic challenger Shelly Simonds and many of her supporters absorbed it in stunned silence.
The drawing of lots took place after an election, recount and legal battles between Yancey and Simonds ended in a tie. Yancey’s win allows Republicans to maintain a slim majority in the House, although a final tally is still uncertain.
The drawing drew a large, if lopsided, crowd to the Virginia elections board meeting. Many were reporters or Simonds’ supporters.
So the focus was entirely on Simonds, who sat stoically as the commission ran through the ceremony. The name of each candidate, printed on a piece of paper, was placed into separate film canisters. The canisters were put into a cobalt-blue-and-white ceramic bowl made by a local artist and stirred around.
Board Chairman James Alcorn pulled one of the canisters out and read the winner’s name: “David Yancey.”
Without him there, all eyes fell on Simonds.
She stayed still and kept looking straight ahead, not giving any initial reaction. After a few seconds, she looked at her 15-yeardaughter Georgia, and said, “It’s OK.”
The room that had been buzzing with excitement moments before went silent, save for the rapid click of the cameras trained on Simonds.
Much of the crowd, filled with state work- ers and aides to Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe and Gov.-elect Ralph Northam, quickly filed out.
After a few minutes, Simonds gave an impromptu news conference.
But when asked, she explicitly said her options — including a recount request, were still on the table.