The increase of women in the House from 2008 to 2026. Graphic: VPAP
This year's General Assembly session is set to break records, with more women serving than ever before.
Why it matters: It's mostly due to Democratic women — including two from the Richmond area — flipping House seats previously held by men.
By the numbers: Ten of the 13 House seats that flipped in November were flipped by women, per an Axios review of Virginia Public Access Project data.
Nearly all had male incumbents, including one who was elected in the 1990s, and more than half were flipped by women of color.
Four are from the Richmond area: Kimberly Pope Adams (Petersburg), Leslie Mehta (Western Chesterfield), Lindsey Dougherty (Chesterfield) and May Nivar (Henrico).
Zoom out: Those wins, in addition to a Republican woman who beat her Democratic opponent, added eight women to the House.
The legislature will also include a record 23 Black women, more than double the number a decade ago, according to the Center.
The intrigue: The number of Republican women in the House has barely budged in nearly 20 years, while the number of Democratic women has almost quadrupled, per VPAP.
What we're watching: How women shape this year's legislative session.
