Primary delivers lots of surprises, but no clear trend

RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia’s closely watched off-year primary contest produced plenty of surprises Tuesday, but little in the way of a coherent message.

The top Democrat in the state Senate narrowly won his primary despite heavily outspending a progressive challenger, and another incumbent lost her seat to a former Virginia lawmaker who used to spend his days at the state Capitol and his nights in jail after being accused of having sex with his teenage secretary.

Conservative challengers upset with Republican incumbents who backed Medicaid expansion had mixed results. One delegate in a key swing district lost to a more conservative challenger, while a moderate senator easily cruised to victory.

Once a key swing state that’s been tilting increasingly toward Democrats, Virginia’s 2017 elections were an early warning signal that a blue wave of opposition to President Donald Trump would wash over the 2018 U.S. midterms. Now political analysts are looking for clues about what message voters may send for the 2020 presidential race.

The main takeway won’t come until November, when all 140 seats in the Legislature are up for grabs. Democrats will try to wrest control from Republicans, who have narrow majorities in the House and Senate.

This year’s primaries had drama, as moderates in both parties took fire from their more extreme flanks.

On the Democratic side, progressive challengers looking to upset the status quo failed to generate much enthusiasm, as most incumbents easily won. One glaring exception: Senate Minority Leader Dick Saslaw’s near-loss to human rights lawyer Yasmine Taeb in a northern Virginia district.

On the GOP side, lingering resentment over last year’s vote to expand Medicaid in Virginia fueled divisive contests.

Republican voters in a swing district punished delegate Bob Thomas, who voted for the expansion. They opted instead for a more conservative challenger, Paul Milde, who could make it harder for Republicans to keep their majority in the House.

But Republican Sen. Emmett Hanger, one of the state’s most powerful senators, easily fended off his challenger.

Hanger played a key role in the Medicaid expansion.

Both parties said they are feeling optimistic about their chances in the general election. Democrats are hoping anti-trump energy powers them to victory.

Republicans were cheering Tuesday’s turnout in key districts.

More people voted in the Republican primary than in the Democratic primary in an open Virginia Beach Senate district that could determine the upper chamber’s balance of power.