Kannan Srinivasan Wins Special Primary in Virginia to Fill Congressman-elect Subramanyam’s State Senate Seat
- His win will further trigger another special election to fill his state delegate seat from District 26.
Democratic state delegate Kannan Srinivasan won the special primary in Virginia’s Loudoun County this past weekend, to fill an open state Senate seat being vacated by Suhas Subramanyam as he moves to Congress. Srinivasan will face Republican Tumay Harding for the 32nd District Senate seat in a Jan. 7 special election.
Srinivasan racked up endorsements from most Democratic Party leaders, including U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine as well as Subramanyam and state Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell. Subramanyam, a first-term state senator and former state delegate, is stepping down from the state Senate after winning the race to succeed Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-Va.), who did not run again because of health issues.
In a statement, Loudoun County Democratic Committee Chair Liz Carter, called Srinivasan “an amazing Delegate for Loudoun County and a champion for the members of our community.” In the statement, posted to the Loudoun County Democratic Committee’s website, Carter said they are “confident” Srinivasan “will fight for all Virginians in the state senate.”
Speaking to Virginia Scope before the Nov. 16 special primary, Srinivasan had noted that it was “imperative to win” the election. “With women’s reproductive rights, common-sense gun regulations, healthcare, and our democracy under increasing Republican attacks, we have to win this special election,” he told the independent newspaper. “This seat is the last thing protecting a Democratic majority in the Virginia Senate, so it is absolutely critical that MAGA extremists do not win and take Loudoun families backwards,” he added.
According to his campaign website, Srinivasan, a 25-year Loudoun resident, got involved in politics after he was struck by a truck while in graduate school and was then denied Medicaid coverage. He was then appointed to serve on Virginia’s state Medicaid board by former governors Terry McAuliffe and Ralph Northam and won a seat in the House of Delegates last fall.
Following his win, Srinivasan has announced his resignation as a delegate from District 26, effective Jan. 7, triggering a special election in the House of Delegates. “I thank the voters of Loudoun County for putting their faith in me as their Democratic nominee for State Senate District 32,” he stated. “I look forward to building on the trust we’ve earned and enthusiastically representing the residents across the 26th District for the rest of my time in this office.”
Currently, two candidates, including an Indian American, have announced their candidacy for the Democratic nomination for Srinivasan’s House seat – JJ Singh and Loudoun County School Board Vice Chair Arben Istrefi, Loudoun Now reported. Singh has served on the Loudoun County Economic Development Commission and as treasurer for the Loudoun County Democratic Committee. He has received endorsements from School Board Chair Melinda Mansfield (Dulles), member Anne Donohue (At Large) and Supervisor Laura A. TeKrony (D-Little River). The district covers much of eastern Loudoun County and has voted roughly 60% in line with Democratic candidates, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.