Virginia House of Delegates Speaker-designee Kirk Cox issued the following statement Tuesday after the results of the election in House District 28 were certified and Bob Thomas was officially declared the winner.

“After all canvasses and provisional hearings have been completed, the outcome of the races in House Districts 28, 40 and 94 are unchanged from last week and Republicans have maintained the majority in the House of Delegates. Despite multiple unsuccessful attempts by Democrats to litigate the results of this election, the law was applied fairly and evenly by the Commonwealth’s judges and Electoral Boards, preserving the the integrity of the electoral process as well as the Constitutional rights of all voters who lawfully participated in the election.

“We are thankful for the work of the Stafford Electoral Board, which rightfully voted to uphold the law and affirmed the results in House District 28, where Delegate-elect Bob Thomas won election. We are also appreciative of the diligent work done by the Electoral Board in Newport News, which confirmed David Yancey’s re-election to the House of Delegates. Caucus Chairman Tim Hugo’s election was also certified and he will return to the House.

“It appears that Democrats will seek recounts in as many as three races. We are committed to open, fair, and honest elections and believe that all legitimate votes lawfully cast by eligible voters should be counted.

“Republicans in the House of Delegates are beginning the earnest work of preparing for the 2018 General Assembly. While our majority may be smaller, our commitment to good governance based on conservative principles is unchanged and unwavering. For more than a decade, we have protected Virginia’s business climate, kept taxes low, invested in education and our workforce, and responsibly governed the Commonwealth’s budget. We will continue to do so in the years to come.”