Brewer leads in 64th District race

Published 10:03 pm Tuesday, November 2, 2021

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Republican Emily Brewer defeated Democratic challenger Michael Drewry by a nearly 2-1 margin in the race for Virginia’s 64th District House of Delegates seat.

According to unofficial results the Virginia Department of Elections published online, Brewer had received more than 65% of the vote to Drewry’s nearly 35%, out of more than 38,000 ballots cast district-wide.

The early ballot total includes all early votes cast via mail-in ballots or in person at a registrar’s office. According to the Virginia Department of Elections, completed ballots that were mailed were accepted until noon on Nov. 5. Final election results are set to be certified on Nov. 15.

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The district spans from lower Suffolk through Isle of Wight, Surry and Prince George counties.

Brewer was unable to be reached for comments this week.

Drewry, speaking to The Smithfield Times by phone Wednesday morning, wasn’t surprised at his loss. Republican candidates have won the House of Delegates seat every election since 2009, according to Virginia Department of Elections data.

“I went into this realistically, just wanting to bring people together in divisive times,” Drewry said, adding that he’d hoped to net at least 14,000 votes.

While he ultimately fell several hundred shy of the goal with 13,310 to Brewer’s 24,824, Drewry’s total is several thousand votes higher than Brewer’s two previous Democratic challengers received in 2019 and 2017. Brewer’s total this year is also the highest number of votes she’s netted since 2017.