Democratic socialists are winning local races in Virginia and unseating sitting Democrats who once seemed untouchable.
On November 3, longtime educator Jackie McDonnough defeated Anne Holton for the 6th District seat on the Richmond School Board. Holton is the former First Lady of Virginia, the wife of U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, the daughter of former Governor Linwood Holton, and a former Virginia Secretary of Education. She was appointed to the seat in February 2026 to fill a vacancy and carried the endorsement of Governor Abigail Spanberger, Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan, and other prominent Democrats. She raised more than $110,000 — the highest total for a Richmond School Board race in recent history.
McDonnough, a retired educator who taught in Richmond and Chesterfield public schools and directed science education at Virginia Commonwealth University, ran with the endorsement of the Richmond chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America. She raised about $32,500 and was also backed by Councilwoman Kenya Gibson and Delegate Charlie Schmidt — both of whom won with DSA support in prior races. Final results showed McDonnough with roughly 65 percent of the vote to Holton’s roughly 35 percent.
Richmond DSA says it plans to endorse more candidates both locally and statewide. The group has already helped elect Gibson to City Council and Schmidt to the House of Delegates. Nationally, DSA-aligned candidates have won major offices including the mayoralty in New York City under Zohran Mamdani. In the host’s words, the socialists are coming to town looking to take over from the establishment Democrats.
McDonnough told local reporters she was humbled by the volunteers who knocked on doors and had conversations with neighbors. Richmond DSA co-chair Elisabeth Waldron said the organization wanted a candidate with deep roots in the community who also aligned with DSA values. Holton conceded the next day and congratulated McDonnough, saying she cares deeply about Richmond students and families.
The race highlights a pattern. Organized left groups are challenging establishment Democrats with door-knocking campaigns even when the establishment candidate has the name recognition, the endorsements, and the money. Holton is Virginia political royalty. McDonnough is a longtime Highland Park resident and educator who previously applied for the same vacancy but was passed over when the school board appointed Holton.
Virginia Insider has put together a full directory of local Republican committees across the Commonwealth so residents can get involved where it matters. You can find the list at Get Involved: Where It Matters — Full Directory of Virginia Republican Committees. The same door-to-door work that helped McDonnough is available to conservatives who want to organize in their own communities.
What happens next is straightforward. Richmond DSA has already said it will look for more candidates. Local races like school board and city council are where these groups build infrastructure. Establishment Democrats who treat those seats as safe are discovering they are not.
If you want the news without the algorithm deciding what you see, head to virginiainsider.com and sign up for the free email newsletter. The full directory of local GOP groups is on the site for anyone ready to get involved.
SOURCES:
