Former Del. Lashrecse Aird won the Democratic primary in a key Virginia state Senate race, according to election projections from The Associated Press, unseating controversial state Sen. Joe Morrissey (D) in a contest that focused largely on abortion.
Aird was backed by a slew of high-profile Democrats in the state, including Sen. Tim Kaine, who were determined to oust the scandal-plagued Morrissey, one of the rare “pro-life” Democrats still serving.
Aird went after Morrissey by attacking him on his openness to implementing some abortion restrictions in the state based on his religious beliefs.
Morrissey told the AP in a recent interview ahead of the election that he believes the decision about whether someone should have an abortion should be between a woman and her doctor, but also that abortion should be banned after a fetus can feel pain.
Morrissey’s defeat is also a blow to Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who has been pushing for increased abortion restrictions in the state, where the procedure is currently currently legal through about 26 weeks of pregnancy, according to Planned Parenthood.
Youngkin had called for a 15-week ban with some exceptions in place, but Senate Democrats defeated that bill.
Morrissey told the AP he likely would not have supported the 15-week ban because he has not seen evidence that fetuses can feel pain at that point. He co-sponsored a bill that would have instituted a 20-week ban but failed last year.
As the primary approached, Morrissey declared that he would give a “wake-up call” to those in his party that spent money to try to defeat him and help Aird win. He said he had a connection with his constituents that Aird could not keep up with.
He said Aird was trying to make the race all about abortion, but voters have brought up issues such as economic development and gun violence.
Morrissey has also been the subject of controversy with a personal scandal surrounding him.
Virginia Public Media reported that his wife has filed for divorce from him and alleged that he physically and emotionally abused her. He has denied the allegations.
Updated at 8:33 p.m. EDT.