Republicans secured a significant victory in Virginia's Prince William County on March 11, 2026, as Jeannie LaCroix won the special election for the Woodbridge District seat on the Board of County Supervisors. This win marks a notable shift, as the seat had been under Democratic control for decades, and represents a significant pickup for the Republican Party in local governance.
The special election was necessitated by the resignation of former Supervisor Margaret Franklin, who vacated the Woodbridge District seat in January 2026 after winning a special election for Virginia House District 23. LaCroix, a local businesswoman and longtime Woodbridge resident, campaigned on a platform centered on community safety, improving local schools, fostering economic opportunity, and opposing the placement of data centers near residential areas and educational institutions.
LaCroix garnered 1,694 votes, accounting for 43.73% of the total. Her Democratic opponent, Muhammad Sufiyan “Sef” Casim, received 1,436 votes, or 37.07%. A substantial number of write-in candidates collectively secured 744 votes, representing 19.20% of the ballots cast. This high write-in count emerged as a critical factor in the election's outcome, particularly impacting the Democratic vote share.
The Democratic Party in Prince William County faced considerable internal challenges leading up to the election. A primary issue for Casim’s campaign stemmed from resurfaced social media posts that critics deemed offensive. The controversy prompted several prominent Democrats to publicly call for Casim to withdraw from the race. Despite his apology, multiple state and local Democratic figures reportedly stated it was insufficient. However, the Prince William County Democratic Committee ultimately maintained its endorsement of Casim, a decision that reportedly exacerbated divisions within the local party.
Further complicating the situation for Democrats was the late entry of Pamela Montgomery as a write-in candidate on March 3. Montgomery was not an unknown figure; she had narrowly lost the February caucus to Casim by just 33 votes. Her decision to launch a write-in campaign was reportedly driven by her belief that Casim’s response to the social media controversy was inadequate. Montgomery also raised questions regarding Casim's residency and his ties to the Woodbridge District. Casim had previously run for Virginia’s House District 23 seat in December 2025. Following his loss in that primary, he relocated to Woodbridge before seeking the county supervisor position. While his move was legal under Virginia law, critics leveraged it as a campaign issue, suggesting he had moved into the district primarily to run for office.
The combined effect of Casim's campaign controversies, the internal party divisions, and the strong write-in challenge from Montgomery appears to have fractured the Democratic vote. The 258-vote margin separating LaCroix from Casim, contrasted with the 744 votes cast for write-in candidates, suggests that the split in the Democratic base played a decisive role in LaCroix's victory.
LaCroix is now set to serve the remainder of the term through December 2027. Her victory signifies not only a Republican gain in a traditionally Democratic stronghold but also underscores the potential impact of local candidate controversies and party unity on election outcomes. The Virginia Republican Party acknowledged LaCroix's win, stating, "Congratulations to Jeannie LaCroix on her victory in the Prince William County Board of Supervisors race! Jeannie will be a voice for common sense for the people of Prince William County." The outcome highlights the complexities of local elections, where candidate specifics and internal party dynamics can significantly influence results.
