Two candidates emerge in race for Virginia’s 9th Senate District seat

RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) - Over the weekend, there was another push to another election. This time for Virginia’s 9th District Senate seat.

The current district includes parts of Richmond, Henrico and Hanover, as well as all of Charles City County.

Democrat Lamont Bagby emerged victorious following a firehouse primary by nabbing about 73% of the vote. Bagby currently serves in the Virginia House of Delegates.

“I feel real confident that we have the right platform, we have the right agenda, but getting that agenda and getting that message out is just as important as getting individuals out to vote,” said Bagby.

Meanwhile, Stephen Imholt has stepped forward as the Republican nominee and filed his paperwork to make it official just before the deadline Monday afternoon at the State Department of Elections.

Imholt, 72, is a retired senior project manager who spent a decade in government consulting.

“I’m familiar with the uphill climb. But as I’ve told my kids when I decided I was going to walk the Appalachian Trail, it’s a whole lot easier going up than it is coming down. I’m basically doing this because it’s the right thing to do and to give people a choice, and I think I have some ideas on how to improve government,” said Imholt.

Early voting for the senate seat race is from March 13 through March 25.

Whoever wins this race will have to fend off any potential primary challengers again this June, and then will run with all 140 members of the General Assembly for re-election in the fall.

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