WASHINGTON 鈥� U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, retained his seat, winning re-election over Prince William County Board Chairman Corey Stewart on Tuesday.
Kaine’s victory was powered by big results in the D.C. suburbs, including a 44 percent lead in Fairfax County, a 28 percent lead in Loudoun County and an 30 percent lead in Stewart’s own Prince William County.
Kaine addressed his supporters at about 9:30 p.m.
The race was called soon after the polls closed at 7 p.m., leading Kaine to crack, 鈥淚t was like a Mark Warner race! I鈥檓 a 2 a.m. guy, not a 7 o’clock guy!鈥�
He promised the crowd, 鈥淚鈥檓 gonna take your values to D.C. and make you proud.鈥�
Kaine referred to the often-acidic Stewart, who said when he announced his candidacy that he would run a 鈥渧icious鈥� campaign. 鈥淲e just want to make Virginia more welcoming, more inclusive 鈥� let鈥檚 just live like Virginia is for lovers rather than 鈥� for judgers or doubters or haters,鈥� Kaine said.
The senator said voters 鈥渟ent a powerful message about who we are,鈥� and 鈥渞ejected in a very clear way the politics of division and hatred 鈥� the politics of peddling lies to try to get ahead.鈥� He told the crowd, 鈥淵ou demanded stop the hate speech, stop the division 鈥� [you said] we gotta have leaders who bring this country together and elevate.鈥�
Kaine went on to cite two religious sources beginning with George Fox, one of the founders of the Quakers or Friends: 鈥淲alk cheerfully over the earth answering the divine spark in every person.鈥� He also noted that Tuesday was the first day of the Hindu festival Diwali, which celebrates the victory of light over darkness and good over evil: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 not an accident 鈥� it鈥檚 right now,鈥� he said.
He finished by saying, 鈥淲hen Virginia votes, Virginia wins. When Virginia wins, Virginia leads. When Virginia leads, America wins.鈥�
鈥淲e gave it a good fight and we have a great president of the United States,鈥� Stewart said at his results party.
Kaine was preferred among black voters and led among Hispanic voters.
Voters under 45 were more likely to favor Kaine; those ages 45 and older modestly supported Kaine.
Kaine, a former Virginia governor and Richmond mayor, touted his record during the campaign, calling himself a problem-solver who would take 鈥淰irginia solutions to Washington.鈥�
Stewart built his campaign this year for Senate similarly to last year鈥檚 unsuccessful bid for governor: around support for President Donald Trump, attacks on immigration policies and, in some cases, Confederate symbols.
View results:
草莓传媒鈥檚 Max Smith and Mitchell Miller, and The Associated Press, contributed to this report.
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