In a stunning political upset, Republican Jeannie LaCroix flipped a long-held Democratic seat Tuesday night in Northern Virginia after a Democratic campaign imploded in the final weeks amid scandal, residency questions and open party warfare.
LaCroix won the special election for the Woodbridge District seat on the Prince William County Board of County Supervisors with 1,694 votes, or 43.73 percent. Democratic nominee Muhammad Sufiyan “Sef” Casim received 1,436 votes, or 37.07 percent. Write-in candidates collected 744 votes, or 19.20 percent — a massive share in a local race and a clear sign of Democratic fracture.
The result marks the first time in 38 years that a Republican has held the Woodbridge seat, a district Democrats had controlled for decades.
Casim’s campaign began unraveling after resurfaced social media posts drew widespread condemnation. Critics described the posts as racist, misogynistic and xenophobic. Although Casim issued a public apology, prominent state and local Democrats said the comments were disqualifying and urged him to withdraw.
Most of the Democrats serving on the county’s Board of County Supervisors called for him to step aside. The Prince William County Democratic Committee, however, stood by Casim and said his apology was sufficient — a decision that fractured the party’s local base.
That fracture widened when Pamela Montgomery, a 32-year Woodbridge resident and former chief of staff to Delegate Margaret Franklin, launched a write-in campaign just one week before Election Day.
Casim had narrowly defeated Montgomery in a February Democratic firehouse caucus by just 33 votes. Montgomery later alleged irregularities in that contest, claiming some participants were not properly registered in the Woodbridge District. She said at least 31 ballots were thrown out.