COURTHOUSE — A recount confirmed Republican challenger Karen Greenhalgh’s narrow defeat of state Del. Alex Askew, a Democrat who was seeking reelection in the 85th House District.
The race was one of the key contests that helped return the GOP to control of the House of Delegates in a year that saw Republicans sweep executive offices in Virginia, too.
Askew gained a dozen votes in the recount, but this did not change the outcome. Greenhalgh won 14,285 votes to 14,170 for Askew, a difference of 115 votes, according to the final order filed by a panel of judges.
The recount court led by Virginia Beach Circuit Court Chief Judge Leslie L. Lilley certified the result on Friday, Dec. 3, following a recount effort that had stretched into the early morning hours that day. During a hearing, the judges threw out a contested ballot on which the voter marked both candidates, but seemingly crossed out a mark.
“The recount is over, and it has confirmed what we knew on Election Day and after the canvass,” Greenhalgh said in a statement released to social media on Friday, Dec. 3. “I’m grateful to the voters of the 85th District for the trust they have placed in me and to all those who worked so hard to see this victory not only secured but confirmed yet again.”
Greenhalgh also thanked Askew for his service in the General Assembly. The incumbent also released a statement about the outcome on Friday, Dec. 3.
Askew was first elected in 2019, amid gains by Democrats in both local and state politics, a trend that has since been reversed with the GOP retaking control in the House of Delegates. Two years ago, Askew sought the seat after then-incumbent state Del. Cheryl Turpin, a Democrat, decided to run for a state senate seat.
In a statement on Friday, Dec. 3, Askew spoke about priorities of his time in office, such as education, infrastructure and affordable health care.
“My commitment to continuing to effect change on these community priorities has never been stronger, and I’ll do everything I can to ensure that we continue to see progress in Virginia Beach on these important issues.”
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