RICHMOND, VA – Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates William J. Howell (R-Stafford) released the following statement on the 2013 Election Results:

“Tonight, Virginians have overwhelmingly re-elected a Republican majority in the Virginia House of Delegates, affirming their support for principled, conservative leadership and the promise of real results based on the ideas of fiscal responsibility, free enterprise and limited government. Republican candidates for the House of Delegates won over 1,000,000 votes, nearly 25,000 more than Governor-elect McAuliffe with 97% of precincts reporting. This demonstrates overwhelming support of Virginia voters for Republican leadership and is a clear vote against higher taxes, more spending and bigger government.

“The people of Virginia have spoken and I congratulate Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe on his victory. Serving as Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia is a distinct honor that comes with tremendous responsibility. Throughout the now-concluded campaign, we have seen nothing but vague promises from candidate McAuliffe. I am eager to hear what substantive policy proposals a Governor McAuliffe will offer. While we are not certain what his legislative priorities are, we hope that we can find common ground on the issues Virginians care about. I also want to congratulate Mark Obenshain on his hard-fought victory. Mark is a man of great character and integrity, with the right experience and vision to serve as Virginia’s Attorney General.

“I look forward to leading a strong Republican majority in the House of Delegates. The House Republican Caucus welcomes eleven new members and will hold a nearly 2 to 1 majority when the General Assembly convenes in January. I want to thank all of our candidates for their commitment to serving their fellow citizens and Commonwealth. On behalf of our Majority Caucus and the entire House of Delegates, I also welcome all of the new members from the other side of aisle to the oldest continuously elected law-making body in the new world.

“Regardless of who has occupied the Governor’s mansion, House Republicans over the last 10 years have consistently worked to move our Commonwealth forward. Our leadership has helped Virginia achieve one of the nation’s lowest unemployment rates, produced four-straight budget surpluses and helped find solutions on issues like transportation and education.

“We have already started to outline our agenda for the 2014 session. We have outlined ideas on K-12 education, transportation and ethics reform. Over the next several weeks, we will outline our vision for workforce development, higher education and health care. We are committed to finding practical, conservative solutions to Virginia’s challenges.”

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