Republican Jeannie LaCroix pulled off a notable victory Tuesday night in Northern Virginia, winning the special election for the Woodbridge District seat on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors.
LaCroix defeated Democratic nominee Muhammed Sufiyan “Sef” Casim and a Democratic write-in candidate in a race that drew regional attention.
The result stands out because it runs counter to a pattern of Democratic overperformance in special elections since the 2024 presidential race. (RELATED: Democrat Flips Texas Senate Seat Long Held By Republicans In Special Election)
Race Upended by Controversy
The contest took a dramatic turn late in the campaign after racist social media posts made by Casim more than a decade ago resurfaced.
The posts, written between 2012 and 2015, included racial slurs and retweets endorsing derogatory comments about women.
The revelations triggered bipartisan calls for Casim to drop out of the race.
Most local Democratic officials urged him to withdraw, and some party members endorsed a last-minute write-in campaign.
Casim refused to leave the race. (RELATED: New Report Links Viral Anti-ICE Campaigns To Surge In Attacks On Officers)
He issued a public apology roughly a week before the election but also criticized Republicans who uncovered the posts, accusing them of acting on behalf of “corporate power.”
As previously reported by the Prince William Times:
In a statement to the Prince William Times, he also suggested the blowback might be in response to his call for a moratorium on data centers.
“My campaign has always been about standing up to corporate and special interests, so it is unsurprising that I am being attacked by a political party that puts corporate profits over people,” Casim’s statement said, in part, about local Republicans.
“This election is a choice between a future that centers working people and marginalized communities, and one that is beholden to corporate power,” he added. “It’s not a coincidence that I am being attacked by special interests after standing with our community on the issue of data centers.”
Low Turnout, High Stakes
The controversy reshaped the race during its final weeks.
Turnout remained low, as is common in special elections, but the political turmoil surrounding the Democratic nominee created a rare opportunity for Republicans in a district that had long been represented by Democrats.
A Shift in Local Politics
The Woodbridge seat opened earlier this year after longtime supervisor Margaret Franklin, a Democrat, was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates. (RELATED: Virginia Democrats Promised Moderation – Then This Happened)
While Democrats still control the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, LaCroix’s victory gives Republicans another voice on the eight-member governing body.
The board is responsible for setting county policy, approving budgets, establishing tax rates, and making major land-use decisions.
Who Is Jeannie LaCroix?
LaCroix is a real estate professional and small business owner who has lived in the Woodbridge area for more than a decade.
Her campaign focused on public safety, transportation improvements, and lowering costs for residents.
The special election marks her first successful bid for public office.
What Happens Next
LaCroix is expected to be sworn in in the coming weeks to complete the remainder of Franklin’s term.
Her victory restores full representation to the Woodbridge District and could signal renewed Republican competitiveness in Northern Virginia, a region that has trended heavily Democratic in recent years.
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