Bennett-Parker, McPike win special elections
Democrats hold seats in Senate and House; McPike's council seat now vacant
Democrat Elizabeth Bennett-Parker won the Senate District 39 special election Tuesday, defeating Republican Julie Robben Lineberry with 83% of the vote, according to unofficial results from the Virginia Department of Elections.
Bennett-Parker received 11,656 votes to Lineberry’s 2,408 with all precincts reporting. She won all three localities in the district: Alexandria (82.63%), Arlington (83.31%) and Fairfax (83.03%).
Turnout in Senate District 39 was 9.20%, with 14,124 of 153,493 registered voters casting ballots. Alexandria had the highest turnout at 9.86%.
Democrat Kirk McPike won the House District 5 race, defeating Republican Mason Butler with 82% of the vote. McPike received 6,332 votes to Butler’s 1,392.
“I’m honored to be the next Senator for the 39th District,” Bennett-Parker said in a statement Wednesday. “I am thankful to voters across Alexandria, Arlington, and Fairfax for placing their trust in me.”
“I am so honored to have been elected by my neighbors and friends to represent the Fifth District in the House of Delegates,” McPike said in a statement. “I will work every day in Richmond to repay the faith you have shown in me.”
Sen. Adam Ebbin congratulated “Senator-elect” Bennett-Parker and “Delegate-elect” McPike on their “resounding victories” in an Instagram post Tuesday night.
Bennett-Parker thanked Ebbin “for his decades of service that have made a real difference in people’s lives,” citing his work banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, ending driver’s license suspensions for unpaid court fees, and “legalizing sangria.”
The victories keep both seats in Democratic hands. Democrats hold a 21-19 majority in the Virginia Senate.
Bennett-Parker will be sworn into the Senate on Feb. 18. Crossover — the deadline for bills to pass their chamber of origin — is Feb. 17.
Latest in a string of special elections
Tuesday’s contests were the latest in a string of special elections triggered by Democratic lawmakers leaving to join Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s administration. Democrats successfully defended several open seats, including House Districts 11, 23 and 17 in Northern Virginia, as well as two Richmond-area districts.
Sen. Lamont Bagby, chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia, praised both winners in a statement.
“Both ran strong campaigns rooted in service, leadership, and a deep commitment to their communities,” Bagby said. “Elizabeth has shown through her work in the House of Delegates that she is focused on tackling the everyday challenges facing Virginia families, while Kirk brings years of public service and a thoughtful, solutions-driven approach to public leadership.”
The candidates
Bennett-Parker has served in the House of Delegates since 2022. Before entering the General Assembly, she served on the Alexandria City Council, including a term as vice mayor, and chaired the operations board of the Virginia Railway Express. In 2017, she was named one of Alexandria’s “40 Under 40.”
She won a firehouse primary on Jan. 13 with 70.6% of the vote, defeating Amy Jackson, Mark Levine and Charles Costen-Sumpter.
Lineberry is a longtime Alexandria resident and realtor who previously served on the city’s Electoral Board. She ran as the sole Republican applicant for the nomination.
McPike has served on the Alexandria City Council since 2025 and previously chaired the Alexandria Democratic Committee. He won a firehouse primary on Jan. 20 with 60.5% of the vote, defeating Alicia Plerhoples.
Butler is head of precinct operations for the Alexandria GOP.
The seats
Bennett-Parker will fill the seat vacated by Ebbin, who resigned after 22 years in the General Assembly to join Spanberger’s administration as senior advisor at the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. McPike will fill the seat vacated by Bennett-Parker.
Senate District 39 is among the most reliably Democratic in the commonwealth, encompassing roughly 75% of Alexandria, 14% of Arlington and 11% of Fairfax County, according to data compiled by the Virginia Public Access Project. The district is densely populated and home to a large share of federal employees and contractors.
Both candidates campaigned together on Election Day, cross-endorsing each other on social media. Bennett-Parker said she hoped voters would “join me in voting for” McPike, while McPike greeted voters alongside “my future state senator.”
What’s next
McPike resigned from Alexandria City Council effective Feb. 9. City Council certified the vacancy Tuesday night and authorized the City Attorney to petition the Circuit Court for a special election on April 21 — the same date as a statewide redistricting referendum.
Five Democrats are competing in a Feb. 21 firehouse primary for the Democratic nomination: Sandy Marks, Tim Laderach, Roberto Gomez, Charles Sumpter and Cesar Madison Tapia.
This story is developing and may be updated.