Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan speaks in help for the Equal Rights Amendment at a information convention on Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 21, 2021. McClellan has received the Democratic nomination to succeed the late A. Donald McEachin in Congress, celebration officers mentioned.

Andrew Harnik/AP

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Andrew Harnik/AP

Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan speaks in help for the Equal Rights Amendment at a information convention on Capitol Hill in Washington on Oct. 21, 2021. McClellan has received the Democratic nomination to succeed the late A. Donald McEachin in Congress, celebration officers mentioned.

Andrew Harnik/AP

FALLS CHURCH, Va. — Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan has overwhelmingly received the Democratic nomination to succeed the late A. Donald McEachin in Congress, celebration officers mentioned Thursday.

McClellan received the nomination 85% of the vote in Tuesday’s firehouse major over Sen. Joe Morrissey, who netted simply 14%, and two different candidates.

She would be the overwhelming favourite within the closely Democratic 4th Congressional District when a particular election is held Feb. 21.

“Tuesday’s party-run process saw historic turnout with 27, 900 votes cast, making it the largest party-run nomination process in the history of the Democratic Party of Virginia,” based on the celebration’s website.

Republicans on Saturday picked Leon Benjamin, a Richmond native, pastor and Navy veteran who has twice unsuccessfully challenged McEachin, as their nominee.

If McClellan wins in February, she’s going to turn out to be the primary Black girl to signify Virginia in Congress.

At a information convention Thursday morning, McClellan mentioned she plans to “bring a new perspective to the Virginia delegation that has never had a Black woman sitting at the table.”

McClellan, 49, a company lawyer, has represented elements of the Richmond space within the General Assembly since 2006. She ran for governor in 2021 however misplaced the Democratic major to Terry McAuliffe.

If elected to Congress, she would signify the state’s 4th District, a majority-minority district based mostly in Richmond that stretches south to the North Carolina border.

Establishment Democrats coalesced round McClellan in her marketing campaign in opposition to Morrissey, a populist and twice-disbarred former prosecutor-turned-defense lawyer who’s proved remarkably resilient over a three-decade profession in electoral politics.

Morrissey had accused Democrats of working in opposition to him in planning Tuesday’s major, which was held on brief discover after McEachin’s demise Nov. 28 after a battle with colon most cancers.

Morrissey issued a press release Thursday congratulating McClellan and promising to help her.

“Virginia has never sent a Black woman to congress. That will change next year. This is progress of which we all can all be proud,” he mentioned.

McEachin’s widow, Colette — herself an elected official in Richmond — was amongst a variety of high-profile endorsers of McClellan. Del. Lamont Bagby dropped out of the race final week in a transfer extensively seen as an effort to forestall Morrissey from rising victorious on a fractured poll.

McClellan fought again tears at Thursday’s information convention when requested about McEachin, whom she thought of a mentor.

“I feel him here,” she mentioned. “I will carry on his legacy.”

The major was run by the Democratic Party, with balloting at eight websites positioned all through the district. Virginia voters don’t register by political celebration, so voting was open to all registered voters prepared to signal a pledge indicating they’re a Democrat and intend to help the celebration’s nominee.

Voting occurred Tuesday however the celebration didn’t start counting ballots till Wednesday. Counting continued via the evening Wednesday, till the celebration introduced outcomes round 4 a.m. Thursday.